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: $658 in Ba'qubah versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $989 in Ba'qubah versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,320 in Ba'qubah versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 IQD 6,342

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-18.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-53.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 IQD 8,452

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-10.79%

Cappuccino

$1.16 IQD 1,521

$1.63 COP 5,687

-28.83%

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

$0.52 IQD 682

$1.09 COP 3,821

-52.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 286

$0.73 COP 2,548

-69.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$1.74 COP 6,065

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,546

$1.05 COP 3,662

12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.29 COP 4,515

-54.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,461

$1.32 COP 4,617

-15.15%

Eggs

$1.41 IQD 1,852

$2.27 COP 7,927

-37.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.23 IQD 2,923

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-48.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 IQD 3,297

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-57.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 IQD 14.2K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,296

$2.25 COP 7,844

-56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,542

$1.07 COP 3,733

10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,283

$1.52 COP 5,322

-35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 721

$1.42 COP 4,964

-61.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 714

$1.17 COP 4,084

-52.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 846

$1.17 COP 4,077

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 IQD 606

$0.89 COP 3,096

-48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.90 COP 3,146

-81.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,425

$2.25 COP 7,837

16.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 IQD 16.0K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,798

$1.14 COP 3,977

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 IQD 2,649

$2.38 COP 8,301

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.84 COP 2,916

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-26.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,072

$1.41 COP 4,912

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 IQD 2,774

$1.90 COP 6,634

11.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 IQD 6,865

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-32.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 464

$1.01 COP 3,509

-65.35%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

8.23%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.15%

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

$59.3 IQD 77.6K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-29.16%

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

$17.34 IQD 22.7K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

83.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

10.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-23.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-11.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 IQD 5,040

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-6.10%

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

$26.46 IQD 34.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-91.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$638 IQD 835.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-89.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-67.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-40.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-75.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 IQD 321.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-49.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.6K

$379 COP 1.3M

-52.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.2K

$837 COP 2.9M

-31.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 458.1K

$723 COP 2.5M

-51.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 IQD 1.0M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-72.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$193 IQD 252.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-84.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 IQD 940.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

32.80%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Ba'qubah and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 33% 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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ba'qubah pays 33% 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: $245 in Ba'qubah versus $482 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 $658 in Ba'qubah versus $1,017 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.