Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Basra versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Basra costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-36.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-0.99%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$1.71 COP 6,115

20.47%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$1.10 COP 3,924

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.78 COP 2,781

-55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$1.68 COP 5,997

129.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.09 COP 3,906

12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$1.26 COP 4,508

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.38 COP 4,922

2.17%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$2.19 COP 7,827

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

82.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$5.63 COP 20.1K

28.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

48.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$2.34 COP 8,349

-56.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.06 COP 3,777

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$1.50 COP 5,374

-32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$1.38 COP 4,924

-54.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$1.15 COP 4,111

-38.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$1.16 COP 4,155

-50.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.89 COP 3,182

-6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.84 COP 2,997

-51.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$2.28 COP 8,145

-17.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.20 COP 4,284

147.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.47 COP 8,824

53.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.86 COP 3,056

-54.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-43.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.47 COP 5,264

57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.96 COP 7,009

12.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.95 COP 3,409

-38.95%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-26.83%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-12.35%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-31.21%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

165.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

58.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

43.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-18.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

97.20%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

-68.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-36.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-28.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$103 COP 366.4K

-29.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$108 COP 387.2K

-62.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

-64.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$838 COP 3.0M

9.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-7.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-43.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-33.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$512 COP 1.8M

49.02%

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 Basra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $188, with Medellin 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

Basra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Medellin differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $1,013 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Basra pays 49% 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: $455 in Basra versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Basra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.