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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,115 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,511 in Al Kut, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.97 IQD 5,200

55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.91 IQD 32.6K

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.96 IQD 9,110

5.46%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.60 IQD 3,407

-33.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 IQD 518

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.22 IQD 284

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.84 IQD 3,714

-40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.81 IQD 3,680

12.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.38 IQD 1,806

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.80 IQD 1,047

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.54 IQD 2,022

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.60 IQD 2,089

35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.37 IQD 5,720

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.50 IQD 4,589

68.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

-33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.92 IQD 1,205

147.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.01 IQD 1,319

9.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.86 IQD 1,125

77.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.74 IQD 970

82.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.69 IQD 906

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.67 IQD 879

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.68 IQD 889

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 IQD 689

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.89 IQD 2,469

23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.86 IQD 2,431

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.07 IQD 2,706

20.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.36 IQD 475

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

30.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.35 IQD 3,082

-39.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.49 IQD 1,952

28.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.02 IQD 7,889

27.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.57 IQD 740

73.68%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-4.03%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

36.14%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

6.60%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

-44.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$34.68 IQD 45.4K

-30.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$37.39 IQD 49.0K

-32.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

16.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.50 IQD 9,820

-46.93%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$153 IQD 200.2K

99.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

83.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.84 IQD 35.1K

116.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

25.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

64.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

160.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$241 IQD 315.0K

98.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$179 IQD 234.0K

110.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$580 IQD 759.1K

45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$349 IQD 456.6K

109.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,019 IQD 1.3M

215.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$509 IQD 666.7K

169.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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 12, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $241 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: $193 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $718 in Al Kut – roughly 44% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,077 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 31% 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 $718, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $718 in Al Kut to $1,031 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.