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: $892 in As Samawah versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in As Samawah versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in As Samawah versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 33% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 IQD 6,866

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.04 IQD 3,987

$1.65 COP 5,207

84.24%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.10 COP 3,468

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 265

$0.78 COP 2,458

-74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,553

$1.72 COP 5,412

102.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,837

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-7.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$1.10 COP 3,474

24.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,074

$1.26 COP 3,962

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,089

$1.38 COP 4,349

15.94%

Eggs

$1.64 IQD 2,146

$2.18 COP 6,858

-24.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,022

$4.49 COP 14.1K

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 IQD 6,329

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

58.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,347

$2.32 COP 7,308

-55.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$1.06 COP 3,352

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.52 COP 4,774

-55.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 673

$1.36 COP 4,270

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 916

$1.13 COP 3,552

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 817

$1.17 COP 3,689

-47.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 411

$0.90 COP 2,838

-65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.90 COP 2,823

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 IQD 2,723

$2.23 COP 7,034

-6.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-36.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,352

$1.19 COP 3,743

51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,716

$2.48 COP 7,815

-16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.85 COP 2,687

-54.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-25.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,117

$1.42 COP 4,459

175.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,021

$1.95 COP 6,141

-21.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 IQD 9,979

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-3.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 734

$0.99 COP 3,118

-43.43%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

12.08%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-26.00%

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

$179 IQD 234.3K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

115.54%

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

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

169.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

71.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

42.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

95.19%

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

$169 IQD 220.9K

$316 COP 994.2K

-46.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-39.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-53.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-4.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-37.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

$107 COP 338.3K

-59.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-49.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.2K

$719 COP 2.3M

-51.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in As Samawah and $475 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 $173 vs $193, 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,338 in As Samawah and $1,504 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: $239 in As Samawah versus $475 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 $169 in As Samawah versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $892 in As Samawah versus $1,003 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 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.