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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $819 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,263 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,708 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.28 IQD 6,917

13.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.00 IQD 7,851

18.17%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-45.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.40 IQD 518

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.20 IQD 265

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.97 IQD 3,896

-43.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.83 IQD 3,706

8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.31 IQD 1,713

-16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.74 IQD 967

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.64 IQD 2,151

-15.85%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.74 IQD 2,280

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.38 IQD 5,733

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.06 IQD 6,623

11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.96 IQD 18.3K

-36.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.28 IQD 1,673

82.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.16 IQD 1,516

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.06 IQD 1,385

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.70 IQD 920

97.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.66 IQD 862

74.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.68 IQD 890

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.55 IQD 720

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.55 IQD 722

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.95 IQD 2,552

16.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

-21.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.76 IQD 2,300

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.19 IQD 2,863

12.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.40 IQD 522

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

-35.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-34.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.54 IQD 2,016

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.33 IQD 4,358

132.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.53 IQD 689

79.25%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$17.0K IQD 22.2M

6.75%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

31.99%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

8.18%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

-37.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.99 IQD 49.8K

-36.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

10.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

-1.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.55 IQD 9,883

-47.95%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$96.5 IQD 126.4K

220.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$754 IQD 986.7K

691.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

114.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$27.83 IQD 36.4K

16.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$61.2 IQD 80.1K

67.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$43.90 IQD 57.5K

146.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$378 IQD 494.8K

26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$191 IQD 249.6K

98.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$662 IQD 867.5K

26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$322 IQD 422.1K

124.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,702 IQD 2.2M

63.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$562 IQD 736.0K

115.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$515 IQD 674.7K

-0.67%

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 Al Hillah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $378 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 1% higher in Al Hillah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $188 in Al Hillah – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 24%, 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 $1,228 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 54% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $96.5 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 $819, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.