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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $671 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,411 in Al Kufah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 51% more expensive than Al Kufah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al Kufah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.45 IQD 7,133

9.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$36.38 IQD 47.6K

-8.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.60 IQD 9,956

-4.87%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.94 IQD 3,856

-44.56%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.40 IQD 519

172.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.18 IQD 233

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.52 IQD 4,604

-50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.89 IQD 3,784

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.11 IQD 1,459

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.66 IQD 865

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.71 IQD 2,236

32.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.22 IQD 2,910

95.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.03 IQD 3,963

94.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.21 IQD 13.4K

-15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.49 IQD 637

359.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.96 IQD 1,261

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.68 IQD 891

123.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.46 IQD 607

208.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.40 IQD 530

192.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.34 IQD 439

244.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.63 IQD 824

41.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.45 IQD 586

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.03 IQD 2,662

10.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$13.53 IQD 17.7K

-18.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.76 IQD 2,310

-35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.11 IQD 2,759

12.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.37 IQD 489

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$31.49 IQD 41.2K

33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.32 IQD 3,041

-39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.54 IQD 2,018

23.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.47 IQD 9,783

3.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.53 IQD 697

90.57%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-13.35%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

30.67%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$40.56 IQD 53.1K

106.31%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$26.38 IQD 34.5K

-64.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

-2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$17.05 IQD 22.3K

12.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.62 IQD 9,982

-46.19%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$86.3 IQD 113.0K

261.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,370 IQD 3.1M

152.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$21.20 IQD 27.8K

173.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.55 IQD 38.7K

10.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$20.10 IQD 26.3K

395.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$27.59 IQD 36.1K

293.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$213 IQD 278.8K

126.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$175 IQD 229.4K

116.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$427 IQD 558.7K

96.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$295 IQD 386.1K

145.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,258 IQD 4.3M

-12.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,677 IQD 2.2M

-27.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$769 IQD 1.0M

-29.65%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $213 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 42% 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 $190 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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al Kufah earns 42% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $213 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $671 in Al Kufah – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Al Kufah versus $1,017 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 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.