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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,176 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,574 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al-Rumaitha 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.00 IQD 5,239

54.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

29.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.71 IQD 8,785

9.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.60 IQD 3,408

-33.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.39 IQD 515

169.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 IQD 265

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.86 IQD 3,745

-40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.91 IQD 3,809

8.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.33 IQD 1,738

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.79 IQD 1,031

64.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.66 IQD 2,168

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.74 IQD 2,274

24.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.37 IQD 5,727

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.61 IQD 6,039

27.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.31 IQD 17.4K

-35.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.20 IQD 1,570

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.15 IQD 1,507

-3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.02 IQD 1,330

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.74 IQD 964

82.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.65 IQD 845

73.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.67 IQD 872

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.62 IQD 813

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 IQD 722

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.89 IQD 2,479

23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.85 IQD 2,421

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.08 IQD 2,727

19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.36 IQD 478

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.29 IQD 41.0K

29.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.33 IQD 3,054

-39.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.49 IQD 1,957

28.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.92 IQD 7,756

29.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.57 IQD 751

73.68%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-6.24%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

35.87%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$78.1 IQD 102.3K

3.44%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.49 IQD 22.9K

-43.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$34.43 IQD 45.1K

-29.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

-31.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.63 IQD 9,995

-47.84%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$153 IQD 200.1K

99.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,328 IQD 4.4M

82.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

116.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.05 IQD 32.8K

28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$62.3 IQD 81.5K

61.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$40.45 IQD 53.0K

166.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$239 IQD 313.3K

99.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$179 IQD 234.9K

109.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$584 IQD 764.6K

44.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$338 IQD 442.7K

116.06%

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

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-Rumaitha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $239 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 $193 vs $183 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 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,165 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: $477 in Medellin versus $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 30% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,031 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.