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: $675 in As Samawah versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $969 in As Samawah versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,263 in As Samawah versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: As Samawah is 51% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 IQD 6,341

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-39.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-27.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 IQD 9,900

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-23.56%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,036

$3.13 COP 9,767

-1.60%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.91 COP 5,954

-79.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 254

$1.51 COP 4,712

-87.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,877

$3.12 COP 9,747

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 IQD 4,883

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-35.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,409

$1.44 COP 4,509

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,013

$2.49 COP 7,759

-69.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,978

$1.77 COP 5,535

-14.69%

Eggs

$1.75 IQD 2,298

$2.96 COP 9,235

-40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-85.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 IQD 6,320

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-52.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 IQD 18.2K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,430

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-73.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,417

$1.61 COP 5,019

-32.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,236

$2.25 COP 7,007

-58.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 IQD 548

$2.25 COP 7,028

-81.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 719

$2.04 COP 6,375

-73.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 874

$1.54 COP 4,790

-56.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 884

$1.17 COP 3,651

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.31 COP 4,077

-48.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 IQD 2,421

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-52.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 IQD 9,793

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-46.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 IQD 2,910

$1.74 COP 5,439

27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,963

$2.87 COP 8,956

-21.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.50 IQD 29.5K

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-72.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.31 COP 4,084

70.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,946

$2.19 COP 6,825

-31.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 IQD 4,097

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-64.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 IQD 811

$1.37 COP 4,260

-54.74%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-32.44%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-47.45%

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

$82.3 IQD 107.8K

$177 COP 553.2K

-53.58%

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

$19.13 IQD 25.1K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

37.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-82.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.36 IQD 25.3K

$17.12 COP 53.4K

13.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 IQD 12.0K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

37.44%

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

$57.4 IQD 75.2K

$813 COP 2.5M

-92.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,506 IQD 2.0M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-83.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.18 IQD 38.2K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-67.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 IQD 49.3K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-36.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 IQD 97.8K

$138 COP 431.2K

-45.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.79 IQD 62.6K

$102 COP 318.7K

-53.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 IQD 159.1K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-88.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 IQD 152.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-82.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-90.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

10.94

-62.34%

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

Last update for As Samawah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in As Samawah and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in As Samawah vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $305 per month, with As Samawah cheaper across the board.

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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,013 in As Samawah and $2,521 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: $122 in As Samawah versus $1,062 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 258% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $57.4 in As Samawah versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $675 in As Samawah versus $1,681 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 149% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.