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: $962 in Basra versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,458 in Basra versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in Basra versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Basra costs roughly 44% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Basra is 30% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 IQD 6,028

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-42.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.03 IQD 39.3K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-37.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 IQD 9,827

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,351

$2.91 COP 9,167

-12.03%

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

$0.46 IQD 604

$1.94 COP 6,122

-76.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$1.52 COP 4,792

-76.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,048

$3.09 COP 9,740

24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 IQD 5,640

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,460

$1.36 COP 4,296

-18.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 IQD 844

$2.39 COP 7,519

-73.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,836

$1.70 COP 5,356

-17.65%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,452

$2.87 COP 9,038

-34.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 IQD 9,914

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 IQD 8,353

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-40.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,343

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-74.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.57 COP 4,950

-12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,292

$2.13 COP 6,695

-53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$2.21 COP 6,972

-68.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$2.05 COP 6,447

-61.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 824

$1.50 COP 4,737

-58.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 IQD 1,146

$1.19 COP 3,747

-26.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 539

$1.16 COP 3,647

-64.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 IQD 2,779

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-45.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 IQD 8,839

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 IQD 4,058

$1.58 COP 4,987

96.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,020

$2.83 COP 8,905

35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 716

$1.17 COP 3,679

-52.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-74.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 IQD 2,910

$1.28 COP 4,045

73.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 IQD 3,059

$2.09 COP 6,589

11.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 IQD 9,746

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 722

$1.30 COP 4,088

-57.69%

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

$13.2K IQD 17.3M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-52.33%

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

$23.0K IQD 30.2M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-35.10%

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

$49.68 IQD 65.1K

$176 COP 554.5K

-71.78%

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

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

$13.37 COP 42.1K

89.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.02 IQD 51.1K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

30.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-19.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

24.19%

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

$127 IQD 165.9K

$793 COP 2.5M

-84.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,845 IQD 5.0M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-57.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 IQD 65.1K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-41.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.19 IQD 26.4K

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-65.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 IQD 104.0K

$136 COP 429.3K

-41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.95 IQD 54.9K

$103 COP 324.7K

-59.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 IQD 614.4K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-55.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.5K

$680 COP 2.1M

-50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 IQD 1.1M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-57.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 IQD 822.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-46.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,564 IQD 2.0M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-61.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-52.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$665 COP 2.1M

15.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

10.94

-48.17%

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

Last update for Basra: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Basra and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Basra vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $303 per month, with Basra 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

Basra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Medellin differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($962 vs $1,716 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% 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: $469 in Basra versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Basra versus $1,716 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 78% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.