Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Az Zubayr versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,577 in Az Zubayr versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 29% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 IQD 5,195

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-32.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-23.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 IQD 9,113

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$2.59 IQD 3,388

$1.70 COP 6,140

52.35%

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

$0.40 IQD 523

$1.10 COP 3,966

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.72 COP 2,605

-76.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 IQD 3,907

$1.67 COP 6,022

78.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 IQD 3,778

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-7.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,785

$1.06 COP 3,809

28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,025

$1.25 COP 4,497

-37.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,082

$1.39 COP 5,022

14.39%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,240

$2.26 COP 8,168

-24.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 IQD 5,814

$4.33 COP 15.6K

2.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,287

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-17.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 IQD 17.2K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

48.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,511

$2.24 COP 8,099

-48.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,590

$1.08 COP 3,882

12.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,385

$1.53 COP 5,522

-30.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 930

$1.37 COP 4,950

-48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 912

$1.13 COP 4,078

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$1.12 COP 4,036

-40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 823

$0.85 COP 3,057

-25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 733

$0.91 COP 3,281

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,466

$2.33 COP 8,414

-19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,329

$1.19 COP 4,309

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,869

$2.37 COP 8,553

-7.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.79 COP 2,838

-53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-23.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,931

$1.44 COP 5,184

55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$1.91 COP 6,901

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 IQD 7,633

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-27.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 754

$0.94 COP 3,385

-38.30%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

5.11%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-24.93%

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

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-6.19%

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

$17.71 IQD 23.2K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

84.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

43.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

40.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-12.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 IQD 9,751

$3.92 COP 14.1K

89.80%

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

$151 IQD 197.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

-50.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-44.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-52.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 IQD 32.6K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 IQD 80.2K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-38.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$107 COP 386.8K

-61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

-50.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.6K

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 IQD 748.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 459.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-51.06%

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 Az Zubayr: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Az Zubayr and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Az Zubayr vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $190 per month, with Az Zubayr 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

Az Zubayr vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Az Zubayr and Medellin differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $1,034 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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: $242 in Az Zubayr versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.