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: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 4% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

12.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.77%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$1.71 COP 6,115

78.95%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.10 COP 3,924

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.78 COP 2,781

-76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$1.68 COP 5,997

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-4.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$1.09 COP 3,906

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$1.26 COP 4,508

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.38 COP 4,922

19.57%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$2.19 COP 7,827

-18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,636

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-9.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

61.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$2.34 COP 8,349

-47.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.06 COP 3,777

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$1.50 COP 5,374

-32.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$1.38 COP 4,924

-49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$1.15 COP 4,111

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$1.16 COP 4,155

-44.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.89 COP 3,182

-29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.84 COP 2,997

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$2.28 COP 8,145

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.20 COP 4,284

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$2.47 COP 8,824

-12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.86 COP 3,056

-9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-30.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$1.47 COP 5,264

163.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$1.96 COP 7,009

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.95 COP 3,409

-41.05%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

12.04%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-24.86%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

120.40%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

167.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

65.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

59.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-3.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

98.98%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

-47.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-51.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-38.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$108 COP 387.2K

-59.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

13.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

-15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$838 COP 3.0M

-2.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-19.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

44.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

33.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 IQD 841.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

25.52%

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 Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 26% 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: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Baghdad pays 26% 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: $540 in Baghdad versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 45% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $163 in Baghdad versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,054 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.