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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $620 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $866 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,112 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Ad Diwaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ad Diwaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ad Diwaniyah 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.91 IQD 3,813

111.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$11.64 IQD 15.2K

180.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.32 IQD 6,967

37.97%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.45 IQD 1,897

18.62%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.37 IQD 483

183.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 IQD 258

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.93 IQD 3,841

-42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.83 IQD 3,709

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.30 IQD 1,707

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.76 IQD 994

71.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.30 IQD 1,706

7.69%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.73 IQD 2,260

24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.55 IQD 5,953

-3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.85 IQD 6,350

21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.05 IQD 13.2K

-14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.75 IQD 976

204.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.97 IQD 1,272

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.91 IQD 1,187

68.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.60 IQD 781

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.69 IQD 907

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.67 IQD 882

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.49 IQD 637

73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.66 IQD 864

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.86 IQD 2,430

25.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.77 IQD 4,942

228.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.83 IQD 2,402

-34.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.17 IQD 2,846

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.39 IQD 515

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.48 IQD 41.2K

28.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.06 IQD 2,695

-31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.21 IQD 1,583

58.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.38 IQD 500

160.53%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$10.2K IQD 13.3M

77.60%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

50.37%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

108.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

-41.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.49 IQD 50.4K

-37.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

47.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.79 IQD 11.5K

117.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.55 IQD 7,263

-28.29%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$91.9 IQD 120.4K

232.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$750 IQD 981.8K

708.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$20.36 IQD 26.7K

185.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.37 IQD 39.8K

6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$19.82 IQD 26.0K

408.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$25.26 IQD 33.1K

326.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$137 IQD 180.0K

246.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$181 IQD 237.2K

107.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$232 IQD 304.0K

263.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$200 IQD 262.1K

264.97%

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

$385 IQD 503.7K

60.35%

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 Ad Diwaniyah: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $137 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 60% 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 $12.00 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $151 – 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 66%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $930 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $91.9 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $620, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.