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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,237 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,087 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 335% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Al-Rumaitha is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,725

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

$1.91 COP 5,929

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,490

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,726

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,511

$0.78 IQD 1,026

126.92%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,196

$1.88 IQD 2,464

57.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$1.86 IQD 2,426

444.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$10.58 IQD 13.8K

35.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.78 IQD 1,019

430.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$0.74 IQD 963

117.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,977

$0.73 IQD 956

208.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,998

$0.36 IQD 476

525.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,348

$0.37 IQD 479

451.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,770

$0.39 IQD 510

294.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,636

$0.39 IQD 512

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,060

$0.40 IQD 520

227.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$1.50 IQD 1,960

160.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,416

$1.50 IQD 1,968

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,918

$2.27 IQD 2,967

26.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$0.39 IQD 511

212.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,067

$2.22 IQD 2,907

-40.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$0.74 IQD 964

195.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

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

$35.8K COP 111.2M

$9,177 IQD 12.0M

289.82%

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

$177 COP 550.9K

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$76.9 IQD 100.6K

-81.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.5K

$26.69 IQD 34.9K

68.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

$3.72 IQD 4,871

360.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$11.58 IQD 15.1K

-42.57%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.1K

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

692.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$15.43 IQD 20.2K

282.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$23.27 IQD 30.4K

338.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$152 IQD 199.4K

596.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$114 IQD 148.7K

483.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$230 IQD 300.8K

721.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,541 IQD 2.0M

-33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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, Sport & Entertainment. The 335% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $580 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 173% 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 $387 in Al-Rumaitha – a 335% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,681 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 335% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.