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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $810 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,264 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,718 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.45 IQD 7,132

13.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

4.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.12 IQD 8,019

19.93%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.06 IQD 4,005

-43.79%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 IQD 518

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.18 IQD 242

327.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.93 IQD 3,833

-42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.90 IQD 3,793

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.37 IQD 1,800

-23.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.74 IQD 963

75.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.65 IQD 2,156

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.80 IQD 2,359

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.49 IQD 5,874

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.80 IQD 6,290

22.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

-38.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.23 IQD 1,607

85.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.19 IQD 1,564

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.04 IQD 1,368

47.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.69 IQD 899

95.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.66 IQD 863

71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.63 IQD 820

79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.59 IQD 778

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 IQD 721

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.90 IQD 2,485

23.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.82 IQD 18.1K

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.84 IQD 2,415

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.17 IQD 2,840

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.40 IQD 520

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

-37.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.36 IQD 3,092

-39.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.55 IQD 2,031

23.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.37 IQD 4,414

127.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.54 IQD 703

83.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

3.50%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

31.35%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

6.57%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

-34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.00 IQD 51.1K

-38.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

7.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

-0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-48.78%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$95.6 IQD 125.2K

219.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$779 IQD 1.0M

677.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.22 IQD 35.6K

113.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.73 IQD 36.3K

16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$61.6 IQD 80.7K

63.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

146.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$364 IQD 476.8K

30.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$196 IQD 256.8K

91.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$667 IQD 874.0K

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$313 IQD 410.0K

133.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,746 IQD 2.3M

84.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$545 IQD 713.5K

151.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$517 IQD 677.5K

19.21%

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 Al Hillah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $364 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 19% 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 $31.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $189 – 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 27%, 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 $1,215 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 61% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $95.6 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 $810, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.