Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in An Najaf vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $999 per month in An Najaf vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,319 per month in An Najaf vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

An Najaf is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both An Najaf and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 49% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,232

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-32.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 IQD 29.8K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-31.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 IQD 6,173

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-36.61%

Cappuccino

$2.76 IQD 3,617

$1.65 COP 5,207

67.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 478

$1.10 COP 3,468

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 268

$0.78 COP 2,458

-74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,521

$1.72 COP 5,412

100.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 IQD 3,828

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,732

$1.10 COP 3,474

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,077

$1.26 COP 3,962

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,153

$1.38 COP 4,349

18.84%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,276

$2.18 COP 6,858

-20.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.37 IQD 3,110

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-47.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 IQD 6,536

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-13.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.52 IQD 13.8K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

17.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,605

$2.32 COP 7,308

-46.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,573

$1.06 COP 3,352

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,388

$1.52 COP 4,774

-30.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 962

$1.36 COP 4,270

-46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 855

$1.13 COP 3,552

-42.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 883

$1.17 COP 3,689

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 IQD 846

$0.90 COP 2,838

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.90 COP 2,823

-56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 IQD 1,983

$2.23 COP 7,034

-32.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 IQD 17.5K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$1.19 COP 3,743

50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,733

$2.48 COP 7,815

-15.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.85 COP 2,687

-57.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.79 IQD 44.3K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-18.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,561

$1.42 COP 4,459

38.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,999

$1.95 COP 6,141

-21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 IQD 6,706

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-35.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 IQD 619

$0.99 COP 3,118

-52.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$11.3K IQD 14.8M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-35.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-24.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-27.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

140.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.30 IQD 44.9K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

45.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 IQD 38.6K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

16.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-22.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,726

$3.95 COP 12.4K

88.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$169 IQD 221.0K

$316 COP 994.2K

-46.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$929 IQD 1.2M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-84.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.63 IQD 21.8K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-72.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.08 IQD 32.8K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

$102 COP 320.1K

-36.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.02 IQD 56.3K

$107 COP 338.3K

-59.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

-49.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 IQD 176.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-63.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 IQD 495.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

-55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 IQD 204.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

-78.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,242 IQD 1.6M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-61.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$495 IQD 648.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-65.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 IQD 961.5K

$624 COP 2.0M

17.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.43

-57.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for An Najaf: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in An Najaf versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $193 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

An Najaf vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 48% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,019 per month in An Najaf and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $680 in An Najaf and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Medellin at $1,003. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $680 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.