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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $667 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,063 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,460 in Al Kufah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 50% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Al Kufah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.30 IQD 6,938

11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

-9.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.45 IQD 9,759

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.96 IQD 3,871

-44.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.36 IQD 476

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.19 IQD 244

310.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.50 IQD 4,580

-50.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.88 IQD 3,773

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.12 IQD 1,470

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.61 IQD 801

106.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.60 IQD 2,096

-13.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.75 IQD 2,290

24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.30 IQD 3,017

95.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.96 IQD 3,882

95.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.08 IQD 13.2K

-11.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.48 IQD 632

383.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.94 IQD 1,226

12.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.68 IQD 885

123.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.50 IQD 655

172.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.37 IQD 488

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.31 IQD 402

277.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.63 IQD 829

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.45 IQD 589

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.98 IQD 2,588

12.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.86 IQD 2,439

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.12 IQD 2,772

16.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.38 IQD 495

123.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

35.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.25 IQD 2,941

-36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.49 IQD 1,949

30.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.50 IQD 661

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

-12.89%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

36.05%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$40.44 IQD 52.9K

105.27%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$26.03 IQD 34.1K

-62.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$25.75 IQD 33.7K

-1.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

11.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.49 IQD 9,804

-47.26%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$86.2 IQD 112.9K

266.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,396 IQD 3.1M

149.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$21.08 IQD 27.6K

184.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$29.78 IQD 39.0K

6.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

418.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

295.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$214 IQD 280.1K

122.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$176 IQD 230.6K

112.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$423 IQD 553.3K

100.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$295 IQD 385.7K

144.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,317 IQD 1.7M

147.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$383 IQD 502.0K

275.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,031 IQD 1.3M

-39.42%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $214 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Al Kufah. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $147, with Al Kufah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Al Kufah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $214 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $667 in Al Kufah – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Al Kufah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah 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.

Expats usually find Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.