Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Mashhad versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mashhad versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,223 in Mashhad versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mashhad is 53% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 IQD 6,120

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-41.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-28.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-22.65%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,035

$3.13 COP 9,873

-1.60%

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

$0.40 IQD 519

$1.91 COP 6,019

-79.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 312

$1.51 COP 4,763

-84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 IQD 5,082

$3.12 COP 9,853

24.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 IQD 5,088

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,371

$1.44 COP 4,558

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$2.49 COP 7,843

-67.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$1.77 COP 5,595

-10.73%

Eggs

$0.81 IQD 1,063

$2.96 COP 9,336

-72.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,980

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-62.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 IQD 2,676

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-79.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.92 IQD 3,820

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-79.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,325

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-75.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.61 COP 5,073

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,281

$2.25 COP 7,083

-56.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$2.25 COP 7,104

-69.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$2.04 COP 6,444

-67.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 837

$1.54 COP 4,842

-58.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 407

$1.17 COP 3,691

-73.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$1.31 COP 4,121

-83.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.76 IQD 996

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-80.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,799

$1.74 COP 5,498

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,953

$2.87 COP 9,053

-21.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$1.31 COP 4,129

71.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$2.19 COP 6,899

-31.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 IQD 9,851

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-13.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 857

$1.37 COP 4,306

-52.55%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-32.00%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-47.12%

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

$215 IQD 281.7K

$177 COP 559.3K

21.34%

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

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

$13.88 COP 43.8K

52.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

$29.72 COP 93.8K

42.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

$6.65 COP 21.0K

59.40%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$813 COP 2.6M

-79.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-61.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-66.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

$138 COP 435.9K

-46.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.47 IQD 60.8K

$102 COP 322.1K

-54.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

10.94

-62.34%

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

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Mashhad vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $305 per month, with Mashhad 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

Mashhad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad and Medellin differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $1,681 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $960 in Mashhad and $2,521 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $165 in Mashhad versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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.

Safety-wise, Mashhad and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.