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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $723 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,154 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,585 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 43% more expensive than in Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al Kazimiyah 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.94 IQD 5,161

56.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

30.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.91 IQD 9,055

6.22%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.55 IQD 3,337

-32.55%

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

$0.16 IQD 214

381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.99 IQD 3,917

-43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.86 IQD 3,741

10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.37 IQD 1,788

-23.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.84 IQD 1,100

54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.64 IQD 2,146

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.80 IQD 2,357

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.42 IQD 5,790

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.78 IQD 6,259

23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

-35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.20 IQD 1,578

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.21 IQD 1,585

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.00 IQD 1,313

53.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.73 IQD 961

84.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.64 IQD 841

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.62 IQD 814

82.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.63 IQD 829

34.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 IQD 737

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.88 IQD 2,457

24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.84 IQD 2,416

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.15 IQD 2,822

15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.40 IQD 518

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.10 IQD 40.7K

30.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.33 IQD 3,048

-39.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.53 IQD 2,007

25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.96 IQD 7,801

28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.57 IQD 752

73.68%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-4.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

33.63%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

5.90%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

-43.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

-29.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

-30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

13.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

-48.51%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$151 IQD 197.3K

102.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,327 IQD 4.4M

82.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.55 IQD 36.1K

111.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.18 IQD 33.0K

27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

62.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$40.64 IQD 53.2K

165.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$241 IQD 315.8K

97.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$179 IQD 234.1K

110.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$580 IQD 759.4K

45.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$348 IQD 456.2K

109.66%

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

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 Kazimiyah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $241 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $160 per month, with Al Kazimiyah cheaper across the board.

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 Kazimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,084 in Al Kazimiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $241 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $723 in Al Kazimiyah – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Al Kazimiyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.