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 $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,156 in Az Zubayr versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,581 in Az Zubayr versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 45% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,231

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-32.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,134

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-6.06%

Cappuccino

$2.55 IQD 3,336

$1.65 COP 5,207

54.55%

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

$0.40 IQD 521

$1.10 COP 3,468

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 266

$0.78 COP 2,458

-74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 IQD 3,879

$1.72 COP 5,412

72.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,743

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$1.10 COP 3,474

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,092

$1.26 COP 3,962

-34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,177

$1.38 COP 4,349

20.29%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,332

$2.18 COP 6,858

-18.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,038

$4.49 COP 14.1K

2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 IQD 6,122

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-19.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

47.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,518

$2.32 COP 7,308

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,501

$1.06 COP 3,352

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,328

$1.52 COP 4,774

-33.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.36 COP 4,270

-49.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 839

$1.13 COP 3,552

-43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 836

$1.17 COP 3,689

-45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 880

$0.90 COP 2,838

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,567

$2.23 COP 7,034

-12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,313

$1.19 COP 3,743

48.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$2.48 COP 7,815

-14.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.85 COP 2,687

-54.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-25.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,953

$1.42 COP 4,459

58.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,011

$1.95 COP 6,141

-21.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 IQD 7,788

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-24.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 743

$0.99 COP 3,118

-42.42%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

9.03%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-26.89%

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

$77.0 IQD 100.8K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-7.24%

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

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

85.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

48.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 IQD 48.5K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

46.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-13.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,965

$3.95 COP 12.4K

92.66%

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

$152 IQD 199.6K

$316 COP 994.2K

-51.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-44.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.50 IQD 36.0K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-54.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

$102 COP 320.1K

-39.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.34 IQD 52.8K

$107 COP 338.3K

-62.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

-49.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

-51.88%

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 Az Zubayr: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Az Zubayr and $475 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 $193 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 37% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $1,003 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 $1,504 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 Az Zubayr versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $1,003 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 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.