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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,160 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,589 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al Kazimiyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.99 IQD 5,226

50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.69 IQD 32.3K

33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.81 IQD 8,912

4.11%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.64 IQD 3,455

-35.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.37 IQD 483

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.21 IQD 280

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.89 IQD 3,779

-41.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.81 IQD 3,683

9.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.33 IQD 1,741

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.78 IQD 1,015

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.58 IQD 2,064

-12.66%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.72 IQD 2,258

27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.48 IQD 5,860

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.64 IQD 6,082

21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.08 IQD 17.1K

-32.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.15 IQD 1,510

103.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.15 IQD 1,505

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.05 IQD 1,380

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.75 IQD 979

84.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.68 IQD 892

69.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.67 IQD 875

73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.68 IQD 884

30.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.55 IQD 720

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.88 IQD 2,460

21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.07 IQD 2,714

19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.40 IQD 518

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$31.41 IQD 41.1K

31.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.34 IQD 3,069

-37.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.50 IQD 1,960

30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.86 IQD 7,678

32.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.54 IQD 704

75.93%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-3.31%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

34.08%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

7.90%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

-45.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

-28.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$37.20 IQD 48.7K

-30.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$16.68 IQD 21.8K

13.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.56 IQD 9,905

-48.02%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$152 IQD 199.3K

103.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

83.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

120.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$25.38 IQD 33.2K

27.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

70.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$41.64 IQD 54.5K

160.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$247 IQD 322.9K

93.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$177 IQD 232.4K

113.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$572 IQD 748.4K

46.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$350 IQD 458.5K

106.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Kazimiyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $247 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 $188 vs $157 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,098 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: $476 in Medellin versus $247 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 $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $732 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,013 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.