Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahabad and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $528 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahabad and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mahabad and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $528 per month in Mahabad vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

Mahabad $528
Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $831 per month in Mahabad vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

Mahabad $831
Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Mahabad vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

Mahabad $1,135
Medellin $3,249

Mahabad is about 69% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mahabad sits 61% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$8.34 COP 26.9K

-64.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.31 $16.31

$46.53 COP 150.3K

-64.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 $3.99

$9.47 COP 30.6K

-57.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$3.13 COP 10.1K

-63.90%

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

$0.51 $0.51

$1.77 COP 5,705

-71.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.42 COP 4,601

-30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.53 COP 4,950

-55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$2.29 COP 7,401

-77.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.94 COP 6,282

7.73%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$3.07 COP 9,905

-59.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$9.99 COP 32.3K

-55.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$10.45 COP 33.7K

-68.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$13.96 COP 45.1K

-43.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$4.05 COP 13.1K

-74.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.53 COP 4,937

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.10 COP 6,797

-59.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$2.29 COP 7,409

-75.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$2.11 COP 6,813

-72.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$1.71 COP 5,521

-72.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 $0.54

$1.17 COP 3,780

-53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 $0.24

$1.58 COP 5,104

-84.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.91 COP 12.6K

-37.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,690

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,760

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 $0.14

$1.18 COP 3,811

-88.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 $9.67

$76.3 COP 246.4K

-87.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 $0.44

$1.81 COP 5,836

-75.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$2.13 COP 6,878

-85.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$8.13 COP 26.3K

-67.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$1.28 COP 4,119

-92.19%

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

$50.0K $50.0K

$34.4K COP 111.2M

45.11%

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

$45.4K $45.4K

$34.1K COP 110.3M

33.07%

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

$12.98 $12.98

$178 COP 574.1K

-92.70%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$13.89 COP 44.9K

-88.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.81 $3.81

$30.74 COP 99.3K

-87.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.40 $18.40

$41.94 COP 135.5K

-56.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.52 $13.52

$16.80 COP 54.3K

-19.52%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

$7.47 COP 24.1K

-72.69%

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

$107 $107

$790 COP 2.6M

-86.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 $2,442

$12.3K COP 39.7M

-80.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.95 $22.95

$86.3 COP 278.9K

-73.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 $27.82

$59.3 COP 191.4K

-53.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$138 COP 446.9K

-28.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$98.8 COP 319.2K

-25.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 $290

$1,341 COP 4.3M

-78.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 $212

$667 COP 2.2M

-68.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$1,976 COP 6.4M

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 $356

$1,033 COP 3.3M

-65.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,134 $1,134

$4,098 COP 13.2M

-72.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$541 $541

$1,940 COP 6.3M

-72.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$254 $254

$646 COP 2.1M

-60.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

10.94

122.12%

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

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mahabad

$212 40.2%

Medellin

$667 39.4% 215% $455

Groceries & Markets

Mahabad

$108 20.4%

Medellin

$307 18.2% 186% $200

Clothing & Footwear

Mahabad

$100 19%

Medellin

$172 10.2% 71.7% $72

Eating Out

Mahabad

$55 10.4%

Medellin

$173 10.2% 214% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Mahabad

$22 4.3%

Medellin

$57 3.4% 153% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahabad

$18 3.5%

Medellin

$222 13.1% 1110% $204

Getting Around

Mahabad

$12 2.3%

Medellin

$93 5.5% 665% $81

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Mahabad versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Medellin are about 2.5 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Mahabad versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $307 – making Mahabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

15:16 3:16 PM

06:46 6:46 AM

8 h 30 min behind Mahabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,541

2,486,723

💱 Currency

USD USD

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,628 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mahabad Medellin 12,280 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Mahabad
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mahabad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 221%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Mahabad and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $290 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Mahabad and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 186% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mahabad, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Mahabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mahabad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.