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: $846 in Mashhad versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mashhad versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,715 in Mashhad versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 17% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 37% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 IQD 6,898

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-11.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

9.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.44%

Cappuccino

$2.95 IQD 3,858

$1.63 COP 5,687

80.98%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$1.09 COP 3,821

-66.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 234

$0.73 COP 2,548

-75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 IQD 4,577

$1.74 COP 6,065

101.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 IQD 3,648

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-13.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,741

$1.05 COP 3,662

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,111

$1.29 COP 4,515

-34.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,151

$1.32 COP 4,617

24.24%

Eggs

$0.88 IQD 1,146

$2.27 COP 7,927

-61.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 IQD 5,952

$4.35 COP 15.2K

4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 IQD 2,591

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-66.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.91 IQD 3,815

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-66.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$2.25 COP 7,844

-54.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,588

$1.07 COP 3,733

13.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$1.52 COP 5,322

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 944

$1.42 COP 4,964

-49.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$1.17 COP 4,084

-41.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 836

$1.17 COP 4,077

-45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 410

$0.89 COP 3,096

-65.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 234

$0.90 COP 3,146

-80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$2.25 COP 7,837

-63.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

24.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,319

$1.14 COP 3,977

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,739

$2.38 COP 8,301

-12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.84 COP 2,916

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.92 IQD 40.5K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-26.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 IQD 4,891

$1.41 COP 4,912

165.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,942

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 752

$1.01 COP 3,509

-43.56%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

13.22%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-25.34%

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

$175 IQD 228.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

108.72%

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

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

171.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.27 IQD 54.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

71.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 IQD 47.4K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

43.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 IQD 22.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-11.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

90.49%

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

$163 IQD 212.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,529 IQD 4.6M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-41.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.31 IQD 37.1K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-51.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-6.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 IQD 85.2K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-34.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-59.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-49.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 233.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

-52.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

-30.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.4K

$723 COP 2.5M

-51.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 Mashhad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Mashhad and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Mashhad vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $131 vs $190, with Mashhad 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

Mashhad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad and Medellin differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($846 vs $1,017 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,269 in Mashhad and $1,525 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $243 in Mashhad versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Mashhad versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $846 in Mashhad versus $1,017 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 20% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.