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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $567 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $890 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,212 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 189% more than Ad Diwaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ad Diwaniyah is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.34 IQD 4,369

140.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$11.27 IQD 14.8K

328.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.24 IQD 6,856

79.77%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.96 IQD 2,563

50.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.40 IQD 520

365.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.26 IQD 343

461.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.77 IQD 4,938

-14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.85 IQD 5,040

48.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.05 IQD 1,371

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.79 IQD 1,041

203.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.36 IQD 1,784

25.00%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.92 IQD 2,512

50.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.93 IQD 5,143

155.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.83 IQD 5,019

160.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.52 IQD 15.1K

23.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$0.72 IQD 946

452.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.79 IQD 1,036

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.79 IQD 1,037

172.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.73 IQD 959

215.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.70 IQD 913

185.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.66 IQD 863

128.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.37 IQD 481

224.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.70 IQD 916

82.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.83 IQD 2,391

109.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$3.85 IQD 5,048

263.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.16 IQD 2,830

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.26 IQD 2,954

21.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.34 IQD 3,068

-44.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.91 IQD 1,192

138.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$7.45 IQD 9,758

11.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.35 IQD 461

288.57%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$18.7K IQD 24.5M

46.66%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

88.62%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$38.67 IQD 50.6K

336.31%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$16.93 IQD 22.2K

-19.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$38.89 IQD 50.9K

-27.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$18.79 IQD 24.6K

143.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$7.49 IQD 9,809

129.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-15.07%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$74.8 IQD 98.0K

973.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,404 IQD 4.5M

169.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$29.13 IQD 38.1K

199.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

54.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$74.4 IQD 97.5K

86.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$47.79 IQD 62.6K

113.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$77.8 IQD 101.9K

1276.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$115 IQD 150.4K

468.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$155 IQD 202.4K

1145.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$233 IQD 305.5K

349.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$380 IQD 497.8K

72.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.12

165.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Diwaniyah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $77.8 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 72% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $149 – 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 189%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $851 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $567 in Ad Diwaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $74.8 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ad Diwaniyah, where all-in costs run around $567, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.