Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Ba'qubah versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $991 in Ba'qubah versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,339 in Ba'qubah versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 36% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 52% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 IQD 6,612

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-14.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.29 IQD 20.0K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-53.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 IQD 8,747

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-10.09%

Cappuccino

$1.17 IQD 1,536

$1.65 COP 5,207

-29.09%

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

$0.52 IQD 687

$1.10 COP 3,468

-52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 224

$0.78 COP 2,458

-78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$1.72 COP 5,412

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,766

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-33.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$1.10 COP 3,474

2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 IQD 770

$1.26 COP 3,962

-53.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.38 COP 4,349

-15.22%

Eggs

$1.46 IQD 1,914

$2.18 COP 6,858

-33.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.29 IQD 2,994

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-49.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 IQD 3,298

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-56.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

18.39%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,297

$2.32 COP 7,308

-57.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,464

$1.06 COP 3,352

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,306

$1.52 COP 4,774

-34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 719

$1.36 COP 4,270

-59.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 725

$1.13 COP 3,552

-51.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 840

$1.17 COP 3,689

-45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 IQD 642

$0.90 COP 2,838

-45.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 271

$0.90 COP 2,823

-76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 IQD 3,559

$2.23 COP 7,034

21.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

1.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 IQD 1,863

$1.19 COP 3,743

19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 IQD 2,650

$2.48 COP 7,815

-18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.85 COP 2,687

-54.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.62 IQD 40.1K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-26.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,027

$1.42 COP 4,459

62.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 IQD 2,645

$1.95 COP 6,141

3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 IQD 6,938

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-32.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 459

$0.99 COP 3,118

-64.65%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

10.76%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-22.97%

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

$57.9 IQD 75.8K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-30.29%

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

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

81.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

15.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.07 IQD 25.0K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-24.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.70 IQD 21.9K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-12.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 IQD 5,073

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-2.03%

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

$26.35 IQD 34.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

-91.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$638 IQD 835.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-89.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-68.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-40.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-20.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.53 IQD 34.7K

$107 COP 338.3K

-75.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 322.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

-48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 IQD 765.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.9K

$719 COP 2.3M

-52.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$755 IQD 988.8K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-76.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$187 IQD 245.2K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-87.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 IQD 951.2K

$624 COP 2.0M

16.32%

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 Ba'qubah: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Ba'qubah and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Ba'qubah vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $141 vs $193 per month, with Ba'qubah 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

Ba'qubah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Ba'qubah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Ba'qubah versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $643 in Ba'qubah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.