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: $638 in Ba'qubah versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Ba'qubah versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,333 in Ba'qubah versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 IQD 6,592

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-15.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.37 IQD 20.1K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-53.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 IQD 8,317

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-11.81%

Cappuccino

$1.13 IQD 1,478

$1.70 COP 6,186

-33.53%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$1.10 COP 3,996

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.72 COP 2,625

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$1.67 COP 6,067

15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,697

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-33.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 IQD 1,485

$1.06 COP 3,837

6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 IQD 725

$1.25 COP 4,531

-56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,473

$1.39 COP 5,060

-19.42%

Eggs

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$2.26 COP 8,229

-37.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.26 IQD 2,963

$4.33 COP 15.8K

-47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 IQD 3,297

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-56.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,201

$2.24 COP 8,159

-58.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.08 COP 3,911

4.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,291

$1.53 COP 5,563

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 782

$1.37 COP 4,987

-56.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 728

$1.13 COP 4,109

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.12 COP 4,067

-38.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.85 COP 3,080

-44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 281

$0.91 COP 3,305

-76.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,556

$2.33 COP 8,477

16.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

9.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,873

$1.19 COP 4,342

20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 IQD 2,654

$2.37 COP 8,617

-14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.79 COP 2,859

-49.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.61 IQD 41.4K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-23.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 IQD 3,099

$1.44 COP 5,223

64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 IQD 2,750

$1.91 COP 6,952

9.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-33.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 427

$0.94 COP 3,410

-64.89%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

5.98%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-22.06%

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

$59.3 IQD 77.7K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-29.36%

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

$17.97 IQD 23.5K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

87.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.11 IQD 35.5K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

12.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-26.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-12.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.82 IQD 4,998

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-2.55%

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

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

$306 COP 1.1M

-91.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$632 IQD 827.5K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-89.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-67.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.97 IQD 24.9K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-40.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 IQD 109.8K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.25 IQD 35.7K

$107 COP 389.7K

-74.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 320.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-49.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.5K

$368 COP 1.3M

-50.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 IQD 746.1K

$826 COP 3.0M

-31.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 IQD 451.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-51.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$768 IQD 1.0M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-73.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$188 IQD 246.6K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-86.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 IQD 956.2K

$546 COP 2.0M

33.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Ba'qubah and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 34% 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 $140 vs $190 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 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ba'qubah pays 34% more on average, 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: $244 in Ba'qubah versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% 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 $638 in Ba'qubah versus $1,034 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 62% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.