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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $636 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,024 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,413 in Al Kufah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 164% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Al Kufah is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.77 IQD 6,244

68.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$33.77 IQD 44.2K

41.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

26.15%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.14 IQD 4,115

-0.32%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.37 IQD 480

416.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.26 IQD 344

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.77 IQD 4,940

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.76 IQD 4,923

52.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.08 IQD 1,415

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.78 IQD 1,016

219.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.58 IQD 2,074

12.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.82 IQD 2,379

62.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$2.22 IQD 2,905

353.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.65 IQD 6,089

117.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.32 IQD 12.2K

53.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.75 IQD 978

452.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.09 IQD 1,426

47.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.60 IQD 788

275.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.57 IQD 741

294.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.51 IQD 665

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.33 IQD 431

366.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.17 IQD 221

588.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.54 IQD 714

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.54 IQD 2,015

153.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$13.57 IQD 17.8K

3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.25 IQD 2,947

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.27 IQD 2,969

26.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.37 IQD 483

229.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.34 IQD 3,061

-44.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.57 IQD 2,058

39.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.57 IQD 9,912

15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.54 IQD 710

153.70%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

47.62%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

89.29%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$217 IQD 284.3K

-18.33%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

-33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$22.80 IQD 29.9K

30.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$15.90 IQD 20.8K

182.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

-34.48%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

1015.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,432 IQD 3.2M

277.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$10.09 IQD 13.2K

786.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

100.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

604.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$35.38 IQD 46.3K

188.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$189 IQD 247.4K

462.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$254 IQD 332.2K

644.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$197 IQD 258.2K

420.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,321 IQD 1.7M

216.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$380 IQD 497.7K

340.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,021 IQD 1.3M

-33.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.12

165.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $189 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $158 per month, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 51% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $189 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $636 in Al Kufah – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,681 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 164% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.