Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ad Diwaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ad Diwaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $631 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $872 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,113 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 60% more than Ad Diwaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ad Diwaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ad Diwaniyah 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.96 IQD 3,881

102.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

191.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.20 IQD 6,807

36.35%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.50 IQD 1,965

14.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.40 IQD 517

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.18 IQD 239

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.88 IQD 3,771

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.84 IQD 3,722

8.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.37 IQD 1,797

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.76 IQD 1,001

65.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.29 IQD 1,690

6.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.72 IQD 2,254

27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.47 IQD 5,853

-1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.81 IQD 6,298

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.23 IQD 13.4K

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.81 IQD 1,065

188.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.88 IQD 1,158

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.97 IQD 1,274

54.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.61 IQD 794

126.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.64 IQD 834

79.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.67 IQD 883

73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.48 IQD 634

85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.61 IQD 803

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.97 IQD 2,575

15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.98 IQD 9,140

52.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.86 IQD 2,441

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.11 IQD 2,761

17.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.36 IQD 473

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$30.73 IQD 40.2K

34.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.95 IQD 2,550

-24.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.25 IQD 1,634

56.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.36 IQD 465

163.89%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$9,883 IQD 12.9M

83.46%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$18.2K IQD 23.8M

45.90%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

118.17%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.08 IQD 22.4K

-44.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$38.22 IQD 50.1K

-36.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

48.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$8.71 IQD 11.4K

118.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.74 IQD 7,511

-31.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$94.9 IQD 124.3K

225.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$745 IQD 976.2K

700.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$20.17 IQD 26.4K

190.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

6.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$19.69 IQD 25.8K

421.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$24.85 IQD 32.5K

336.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$138 IQD 180.9K

244.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$179 IQD 234.7K

111.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$239 IQD 313.3K

250.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$199 IQD 261.1K

263.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$758 IQD 992.2K

268.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$299 IQD 391.9K

304.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$494 IQD 646.9K

3.61%

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 Ad Diwaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $138 in Ad Diwaniyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $158 – making Ad Diwaniyah 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 Ad Diwaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $947 in Ad Diwaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $94.9 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ad Diwaniyah, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ad Diwaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ad Diwaniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ad Diwaniyah. 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.