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: $739 in Basra versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Basra versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,996 in Basra versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Basra costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-38.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-8.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$1.72 COP 5,600

18.02%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$1.05 COP 3,420

-55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.77 COP 2,515

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$1.69 COP 5,488

120.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-18.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.05 COP 3,423

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$1.30 COP 4,236

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,906

$1.40 COP 4,544

4.29%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,467

$2.16 COP 7,047

-12.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

88.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$5.88 COP 19.1K

17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

51.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$2.28 COP 7,426

-53.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,756

$1.11 COP 3,604

20.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$1.53 COP 4,983

-34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$1.35 COP 4,410

-56.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$1.13 COP 3,674

-39.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$1.13 COP 3,692

-46.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.85 COP 2,753

-8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.91 COP 2,975

-54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$2.34 COP 7,630

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

6.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.20 COP 3,909

151.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$2.49 COP 8,104

57.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.84 COP 2,728

-55.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$1.42 COP 4,623

60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$1.92 COP 6,235

17.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-9.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.99 COP 3,223

-43.43%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-27.14%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-15.06%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-29.86%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

157.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

59.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

44.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-18.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

96.48%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$305 COP 993.5K

-67.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-37.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-26.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-36.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$101 COP 327.9K

-30.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$108 COP 350.8K

-61.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

-63.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$845 COP 2.7M

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-10.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-50.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-42.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

21.98%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Basra and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 22% 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 $212 vs $193, 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 39% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $1,031 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Basra, 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: $445 in Basra versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 10% 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 $739 in Basra versus $1,031 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 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.