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: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 3% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-13.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

12.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

5.99%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$1.72 COP 5,592

80.81%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.05 COP 3,416

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.77 COP 2,511

-76.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$1.69 COP 5,480

106.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$1.05 COP 3,418

24.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$1.30 COP 4,230

-35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.40 COP 4,538

17.14%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.16 COP 7,037

-16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$4.39 COP 14.3K

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

63.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$2.28 COP 7,415

-46.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.11 COP 3,599

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$1.53 COP 4,976

-32.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$1.35 COP 4,405

-44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.13 COP 3,669

-43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$1.13 COP 3,687

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$0.85 COP 2,749

-25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.91 COP 2,971

-27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$2.34 COP 7,619

-11.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.20 COP 3,904

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$2.49 COP 8,094

-15.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.84 COP 2,724

-11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-31.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$1.42 COP 4,617

161.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$1.92 COP 6,227

-19.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.99 COP 3,219

-46.46%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

11.07%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-23.63%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

116.64%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

163.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

67.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

67.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-4.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$3.98 COP 13.0K

88.19%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$305 COP 992.2K

-45.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-41.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-51.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$101 COP 327.5K

-36.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$108 COP 350.3K

-60.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$477 COP 1.5M

15.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$376 COP 1.2M

-14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$845 COP 2.7M

-1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

-18.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

47.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

1.92%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 2% 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. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $193, with Baghdad cheaper for home cooking.

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 3% 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.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Baghdad, 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: $548 in Baghdad versus $477 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 46% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Baghdad versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,066 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 $1,031 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 3% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.