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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $766 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,181 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,596 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 32% more expensive than Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al-Rumaitha 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.07 IQD 5,331

47.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$24.66 IQD 32.3K

33.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.94 IQD 9,087

2.16%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.57 IQD 3,369

-33.46%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.39 IQD 516

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.16 IQD 216

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.86 IQD 3,743

-41.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.95 IQD 3,870

4.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.33 IQD 1,736

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.85 IQD 1,112

48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.57 IQD 2,060

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.78 IQD 2,329

23.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.38 IQD 5,741

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.73 IQD 6,192

19.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$12.99 IQD 17.0K

-31.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.20 IQD 1,577

95.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.15 IQD 1,500

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.06 IQD 1,383

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.70 IQD 919

97.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.70 IQD 920

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.63 IQD 830

84.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.64 IQD 835

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.55 IQD 722

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.94 IQD 2,546

17.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

-19.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.84 IQD 2,414

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.14 IQD 2,806

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.37 IQD 483

132.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$31.62 IQD 41.4K

30.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.34 IQD 3,070

-37.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.48 IQD 1,935

32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.14 IQD 8,044

26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.54 IQD 703

75.93%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-3.35%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

32.64%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$76.9 IQD 100.7K

6.97%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.44 IQD 22.8K

-45.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$34.89 IQD 45.7K

-30.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$36.96 IQD 48.4K

-29.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

15.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

-48.56%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$150 IQD 196.0K

106.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,219 IQD 4.2M

85.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$27.34 IQD 35.8K

114.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$62.5 IQD 81.9K

64.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

166.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$244 IQD 319.4K

95.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$176 IQD 230.0K

115.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$570 IQD 746.9K

46.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$343 IQD 449.5K

110.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

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-Rumaitha: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $244 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $184 per month, with Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,150 in Al-Rumaitha to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $244 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $766 in Al-Rumaitha – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 31% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $766 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.