Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Hillah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Hillah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $802 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,239 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,677 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 105% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Al Hillah is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.76 IQD 6,238

68.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

56.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.22 IQD 8,147

51.45%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.04 IQD 3,984

-3.29%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.36 IQD 477

416.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.20 IQD 261

630.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.89 IQD 3,780

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.93 IQD 5,145

45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.07 IQD 1,407

34.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.74 IQD 970

224.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.57 IQD 2,062

8.28%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.86 IQD 2,434

55.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.97 IQD 5,201

153.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.82 IQD 6,316

106.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.51 IQD 19.0K

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.13 IQD 1,486

252.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.12 IQD 1,466

41.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.05 IQD 1,380

104.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.79 IQD 1,031

191.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.71 IQD 934

181.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.64 IQD 839

135.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.56 IQD 732

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.55 IQD 720

132.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.76 IQD 2,306

118.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.13 IQD 2,793

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.27 IQD 2,968

20.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.40 IQD 521

212.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$65.7 IQD 86.0K

18.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.31 IQD 3,025

-43.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.54 IQD 2,021

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$3.39 IQD 4,439

144.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.54 IQD 710

151.85%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

57.57%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

92.18%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$76.8 IQD 100.6K

119.69%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$15.23 IQD 19.9K

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$37.47 IQD 49.1K

-24.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

100.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$19.21 IQD 25.2K

-10.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-14.63%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$95.1 IQD 124.5K

744.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$776 IQD 1.0M

1084.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

299.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$24.96 IQD 32.7K

137.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$67.9 IQD 88.8K

104.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$46.44 IQD 60.8K

119.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$283 IQD 371.0K

277.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$179 IQD 234.3K

264.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$493 IQD 645.0K

290.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$290 IQD 379.3K

261.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,725 IQD 2.3M

139.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$562 IQD 735.6K

202.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$509 IQD 666.8K

28.64%

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 Al Hillah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $283 in Al Hillah. 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 29% 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 $31.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $186 – making Al Hillah 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 Al Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 105%, 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 $1,203 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 19% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $95.1 in Al Hillah. 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 Al Hillah, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Al Hillah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – 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 Al Hillah. 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.