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: $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Az Zubayr versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,582 in Az Zubayr versus $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 IQD 5,205

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-33.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-25.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 IQD 8,848

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-6.50%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,446

$1.63 COP 5,687

61.35%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$1.09 COP 3,821

-66.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 213

$0.73 COP 2,548

-78.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 IQD 3,745

$1.74 COP 6,065

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,833

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,777

$1.05 COP 3,662

29.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$1.29 COP 4,515

-36.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,151

$1.32 COP 4,617

24.24%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.27 COP 7,927

-20.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 IQD 5,784

$4.35 COP 15.2K

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,292

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

53.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$2.25 COP 7,844

-49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,506

$1.07 COP 3,733

7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.52 COP 5,322

-33.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$1.42 COP 4,964

-51.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$1.17 COP 4,084

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 874

$1.17 COP 4,077

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.89 COP 3,096

-30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.90 COP 3,146

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,534

$2.25 COP 7,837

-13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,357

$1.14 COP 3,977

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,809

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.84 COP 2,916

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 IQD 41.4K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-24.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 IQD 2,996

$1.41 COP 4,912

62.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,926

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 IQD 7,804

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-23.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 743

$1.01 COP 3,509

-43.56%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

10.51%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-24.32%

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

$77.3 IQD 101.3K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-7.60%

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

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

86.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

41.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

46.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-10.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 IQD 9,822

$4.10 COP 14.3K

82.93%

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

$153 IQD 200.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-45.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.32 IQD 35.8K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-52.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-23.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-37.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.83 IQD 54.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 317.6K

$482 COP 1.7M

-49.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

-52.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 IQD 767.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

-29.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 451.1K

$723 COP 2.5M

-52.36%

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 Az Zubayr: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Az Zubayr and $482 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 36% in total monthly costs ($746 vs $1,017 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,118 in Az Zubayr 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: $243 in Az Zubayr versus $482 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 $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,017 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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.