Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $886 in As Samawah versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in As Samawah versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,813 in As Samawah versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 34% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 IQD 7,036

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

9.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 IQD 9,999

$7.20 COP 26.2K

5.97%

Cappuccino

$3.00 IQD 3,924

$1.70 COP 6,186

76.47%

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

$0.39 IQD 513

$1.10 COP 3,996

-64.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.72 COP 2,625

-76.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,593

$1.67 COP 6,067

110.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 IQD 3,815

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-6.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.06 COP 3,837

23.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,080

$1.25 COP 4,531

-34.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 IQD 2,136

$1.39 COP 5,060

17.27%

Eggs

$1.61 IQD 2,109

$2.26 COP 8,229

-28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,744

$4.33 COP 15.8K

1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 IQD 6,624

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-13.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

56.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$2.24 COP 8,159

-54.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,294

$1.08 COP 3,911

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 903

$1.53 COP 5,563

-54.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 639

$1.37 COP 4,987

-64.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.13 COP 4,109

-41.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 822

$1.12 COP 4,067

-43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 IQD 418

$0.85 COP 3,080

-62.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.91 COP 3,305

-26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$2.33 COP 8,477

-9.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 IQD 9,943

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-31.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,413

$1.19 COP 4,342

54.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,858

$2.37 COP 8,617

-8.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.79 COP 2,859

-49.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-24.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 IQD 4,884

$1.44 COP 5,223

159.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,018

$1.91 COP 6,952

-19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-4.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 703

$0.94 COP 3,410

-42.55%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

11.46%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-25.12%

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

$176 IQD 230.0K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

109.11%

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

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

165.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

69.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

44.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-13.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

99.49%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-45.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-39.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-51.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-34.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

$107 COP 389.7K

-59.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 317.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

-50.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 755.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-30.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 IQD 454.9K

$716 COP 2.6M

-51.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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 As Samawah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in As Samawah and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in As Samawah vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $190, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.

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

As Samawah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,329 in As Samawah and $1,550 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $243 in As Samawah versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 32% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in As Samawah versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $886 in As Samawah versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.