Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $721 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,075 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,429 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Medellin is roughly 43% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al-mawsil 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-20.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

165.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.84 IQD 7,645

25.68%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$0.81 IQD 1,055

112.35%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 IQD 517

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.17 IQD 224

352.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$0.94 IQD 1,225

79.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.50 IQD 1,960

111.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.85 IQD 1,112

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.80 IQD 1,049

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.06 IQD 1,391

32.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.92 IQD 2,515

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.29 IQD 9,548

-39.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.24 IQD 4,242

81.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.05 IQD 9,229

22.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.91 IQD 1,195

150.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.91 IQD 1,192

21.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.81 IQD 1,061

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.39 IQD 517

246.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.41 IQD 538

175.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.43 IQD 562

162.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.51 IQD 669

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 IQD 700

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.95 IQD 2,553

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.39 IQD 1,825

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.93 IQD 2,533

29.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.40 IQD 520

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.67 IQD 41.5K

28.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.17 IQD 2,839

-34.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.98 IQD 2,591

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.28 IQD 4,298

133.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.33 IQD 432

200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$15.1K IQD 19.7M

19.67%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.7K IQD 23.1M

50.75%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

-18.71%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

-43.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$27.27 IQD 35.7K

-11.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$24.23 IQD 31.7K

3.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

1.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-64.72%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$202 IQD 264.4K

51.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$694 IQD 909.2K

772.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$13.87 IQD 18.2K

319.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

79.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.9 IQD 108.6K

21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$19.54 IQD 25.6K

451.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$242 IQD 316.7K

97.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$179 IQD 234.4K

110.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$572 IQD 748.7K

47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$339 IQD 443.7K

115.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$608 IQD 795.8K

1.50%

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-mawsil: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $149 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $202 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.