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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $738 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,140 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,543 in Al Kut, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al Kut 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.13 IQD 5,412

45.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

30.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.02 IQD 9,193

1.00%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.57 IQD 3,364

-33.46%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.36 IQD 476

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.20 IQD 268

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.88 IQD 3,768

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.82 IQD 3,687

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.35 IQD 1,773

-19.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.77 IQD 1,012

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.55 IQD 2,034

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.53 IQD 2,004

43.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.62 IQD 6,046

-4.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.55 IQD 4,654

58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.98 IQD 17.0K

-31.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.86 IQD 1,124

172.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.06 IQD 1,385

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.81 IQD 1,061

85.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.75 IQD 976

84.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.69 IQD 899

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.68 IQD 890

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.62 IQD 818

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.56 IQD 731

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.94 IQD 2,535

17.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.16 IQD 2,824

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.39 IQD 513

120.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

34.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.36 IQD 3,088

-37.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.55 IQD 2,033

26.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.92 IQD 7,748

30.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.56 IQD 737

69.64%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-5.65%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

31.47%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

7.46%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

-45.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$34.63 IQD 45.3K

-30.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$36.05 IQD 47.2K

-28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

11.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-49.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$149 IQD 195.3K

107.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,277 IQD 4.3M

82.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

115.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

30.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$61.9 IQD 81.1K

65.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$41.71 IQD 54.6K

159.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$239 IQD 313.1K

99.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$181 IQD 236.9K

109.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$570 IQD 746.3K

47.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$348 IQD 455.2K

108.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$990 IQD 1.3M

181.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$509 IQD 666.8K

137.90%

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 Kut: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $239 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $148 – making Al Kut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $738 in Al Kut – roughly 37% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,107 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $738 in Al Kut to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Al Kut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.