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: $895 in As Samawah versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in As Samawah versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in As Samawah versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,880

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

9.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 IQD 9,893

$7.23 COP 25.2K

4.56%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,032

$1.63 COP 5,687

88.96%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$1.09 COP 3,821

-64.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 228

$0.73 COP 2,548

-76.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 IQD 4,585

$1.74 COP 6,065

101.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,832

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,770

$1.05 COP 3,662

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$1.29 COP 4,515

-39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,157

$1.32 COP 4,617

25.00%

Eggs

$1.63 IQD 2,139

$2.27 COP 7,927

-28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 IQD 6,061

$4.35 COP 15.2K

6.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 IQD 6,536

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

65.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,344

$2.25 COP 7,844

-54.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,280

$1.07 COP 3,733

-8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 935

$1.52 COP 5,322

-53.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 672

$1.42 COP 4,964

-64.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 845

$1.17 COP 4,084

-45.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$1.17 COP 4,077

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 IQD 449

$0.89 COP 3,096

-61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.90 COP 3,146

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 IQD 2,831

$2.25 COP 7,837

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,317

$1.14 COP 3,977

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,868

$2.38 COP 8,301

-7.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.84 COP 2,916

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-26.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,143

$1.41 COP 4,912

178.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$1.90 COP 6,634

-21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 746

$1.01 COP 3,509

-43.56%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

15.02%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.60%

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

$175 IQD 228.8K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

108.78%

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

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

169.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

69.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

43.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

87.56%

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

$164 IQD 215.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-40.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-50.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-35.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.6K

$482 COP 1.7M

-49.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-30.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.2K

$723 COP 2.5M

-51.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in As Samawah and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in As Samawah vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $173 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,343 in As Samawah and $1,525 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: $242 in As Samawah versus $482 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 35% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $164 in As Samawah versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,017 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.