Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Baghdad versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Baghdad versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Baghdad versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Baghdad costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baghdad is 16% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 IQD 6,302

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-40.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$48.26 COP 152.3K

-30.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-21.39%

Cappuccino

$3.07 IQD 4,018

$2.91 COP 9,185

5.50%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$1.94 COP 6,134

-79.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$1.52 COP 4,801

-82.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 IQD 5,091

$3.09 COP 9,759

25.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 IQD 4,906

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-34.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,424

$1.36 COP 4,304

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,091

$2.39 COP 7,534

-65.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$1.70 COP 5,366

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,473

$2.87 COP 9,056

-34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,971

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-61.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,992

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-72.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$1.57 COP 4,960

-31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$2.13 COP 6,708

-50.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$2.21 COP 6,985

-66.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 860

$2.05 COP 6,460

-67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.50 COP 4,747

-57.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$1.19 COP 3,755

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 IQD 920

$1.16 COP 3,654

-39.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-53.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-5.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,890

$1.58 COP 4,997

39.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,861

$2.83 COP 8,923

-22.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 IQD 854

$1.17 COP 3,686

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-70.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,037

$1.28 COP 4,054

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$2.09 COP 6,602

-25.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$8.62 COP 27.2K

-9.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 801

$1.30 COP 4,096

-53.08%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-31.14%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-46.05%

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

$213 IQD 278.8K

$176 COP 555.6K

20.94%

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

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

$13.37 COP 42.2K

56.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

$29.89 COP 94.3K

41.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

$44.76 COP 141.2K

4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

$17.06 COP 53.8K

28.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$6.20 COP 19.6K

70.48%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$793 COP 2.5M

-79.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-64.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-34.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

$136 COP 430.1K

-46.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

$103 COP 325.4K

-53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.1K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.9K

$680 COP 2.1M

-48.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 IQD 1.3M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-52.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 IQD 899.8K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-41.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

$4,111 COP 13.0M

15.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-7.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 IQD 791.2K

$665 COP 2.1M

-9.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

10.94

-62.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Baghdad and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Baghdad vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $303 per month, with Baghdad 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

Baghdad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $575 in Baghdad versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 244% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $165 in Baghdad versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Baghdad versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,148 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.