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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $733 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,160 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,588 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and 'aqrah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, 'aqrah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.13 IQD 5,405

45.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$25.33 IQD 33.2K

29.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.94 IQD 9,082

2.16%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.56 IQD 3,354

-33.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.36 IQD 478

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.21 IQD 270

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.86 IQD 3,746

-41.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.79 IQD 3,656

10.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.36 IQD 1,783

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.84 IQD 1,099

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.60 IQD 2,096

-13.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.81 IQD 2,372

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.38 IQD 5,736

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.74 IQD 6,201

18.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

-32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.14 IQD 1,487

105.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.15 IQD 1,507

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.05 IQD 1,379

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.69 IQD 906

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.69 IQD 905

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.68 IQD 893

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.67 IQD 877

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.52 IQD 675

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.88 IQD 2,466

21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.17 IQD 2,838

13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.39 IQD 513

120.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

33.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.28 IQD 2,988

-35.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.52 IQD 1,994

28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.14 IQD 8,041

26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.54 IQD 706

75.93%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-5.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

35.42%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

6.65%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.98 IQD 23.5K

-47.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

-30.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

-28.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

12.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

-49.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$154 IQD 202.1K

100.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

83.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

114.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

26.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

66.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$41.75 IQD 54.7K

159.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$242 IQD 316.5K

97.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$177 IQD 231.7K

114.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$581 IQD 760.9K

44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$348 IQD 456.1K

107.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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: $188 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 38% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,099 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $733 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% 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 $733, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $733 versus $1,013 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.