Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and 'aqrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and 'aqrah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $739 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,157 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,575 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and 'aqrah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, 'aqrah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.17 IQD 5,454

47.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.73 IQD 32.4K

31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.71 IQD 8,791

9.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.54 IQD 3,331

-32.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.39 IQD 517

169.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.18 IQD 240

327.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.90 IQD 3,792

-41.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.89 IQD 3,783

9.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.80 IQD 1,044

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.66 IQD 2,171

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.79 IQD 2,340

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.54 IQD 5,941

-3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.58 IQD 6,000

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.11 IQD 17.2K

-34.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.20 IQD 1,566

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.19 IQD 1,565

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.02 IQD 1,330

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.69 IQD 900

95.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.65 IQD 853

73.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.66 IQD 868

71.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.64 IQD 834

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 IQD 729

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.95 IQD 2,554

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.84 IQD 2,406

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.17 IQD 2,842

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.37 IQD 478

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

30.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.32 IQD 3,035

-38.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.47 IQD 1,929

30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.92 IQD 7,748

29.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.57 IQD 750

73.68%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

-6.05%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

31.37%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$76.5 IQD 100.1K

5.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.72 IQD 23.2K

-43.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$34.91 IQD 45.7K

-30.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$36.87 IQD 48.3K

-31.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

11.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.86 IQD 10.3K

-49.36%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$153 IQD 200.3K

99.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

86.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

118.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

66.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

164.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$242 IQD 317.0K

96.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$176 IQD 230.4K

113.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$578 IQD 756.8K

46.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$339 IQD 443.7K

115.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $242 in 'aqrah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in 'aqrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $158 – making 'aqrah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin vs 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 39% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,109 in 'aqrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in 'aqrah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $739 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in 'aqrah, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Medellin at $1,031. In 'aqrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $739 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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