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: $851 in Mashhad versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,277 in Mashhad versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,702 in Mashhad versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 15% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 36% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,877

$5.91 COP 19.1K

-11.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

$32.96 COP 106.5K

11.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.43 COP 24.0K

3.77%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,998

$1.65 COP 5,343

84.85%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.10 COP 3,559

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 286

$0.78 COP 2,523

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 IQD 4,410

$1.72 COP 5,553

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$3.18 COP 10.3K

-7.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,715

$1.10 COP 3,565

19.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,094

$1.26 COP 4,066

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$1.38 COP 4,463

13.77%

Eggs

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$2.18 COP 7,038

-63.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.59 IQD 6,007

$4.49 COP 14.5K

2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.02 IQD 2,646

$5.79 COP 18.7K

-65.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.01 IQD 3,943

$8.97 COP 29.0K

-66.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,291

$2.32 COP 7,499

-57.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$1.06 COP 3,440

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,275

$1.52 COP 4,899

-36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$1.36 COP 4,381

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 908

$1.13 COP 3,645

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 831

$1.17 COP 3,785

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 IQD 374

$0.90 COP 2,912

-67.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.90 COP 2,897

-77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.82 IQD 1,078

$2.23 COP 7,218

-63.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

$12.12 COP 39.2K

11.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,335

$1.19 COP 3,841

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,716

$2.48 COP 8,020

-16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.85 COP 2,758

-57.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

$41.62 COP 134.5K

-24.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 IQD 4,988

$1.42 COP 4,575

168.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 IQD 1,960

$1.95 COP 6,302

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 IQD 9,884

$7.89 COP 25.5K

-4.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.99 COP 3,200

-42.42%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$17.6K COP 56.9M

15.85%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$26.8K COP 86.6M

-25.56%

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

$177 IQD 231.6K

$83.0 COP 268.2K

113.05%

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

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

$9.70 COP 31.3K

170.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

$23.52 COP 76.0K

74.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

$25.26 COP 81.6K

44.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$19.10 COP 61.7K

-12.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,735

$3.95 COP 12.8K

88.10%

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

$165 IQD 215.8K

$316 COP 1.0M

-47.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

$5,975 COP 19.3M

-40.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

$60.0 COP 193.8K

-52.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

$31.82 COP 102.8K

-4.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

$102 COP 328.5K

-36.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

$107 COP 347.2K

-59.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-49.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-32.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-51.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Mashhad and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mashhad vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $130 vs $193, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($851 vs $1,003 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,277 in Mashhad and $1,504 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: $242 in Mashhad versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $165 in Mashhad versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $851 in Mashhad versus $1,003 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 18% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.