Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $675 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,012 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,349 in An Najaf, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, An Najaf 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.00 IQD 5,236

48.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

44.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.66 IQD 6,104

54.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.74 IQD 3,595

-37.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.37 IQD 480

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.17 IQD 226

323.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.54 IQD 4,639

-52.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.82 IQD 3,695

9.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.38 IQD 1,806

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.84 IQD 1,102

48.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.66 IQD 2,174

-16.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.79 IQD 2,339

26.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$2.30 IQD 3,008

88.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.09 IQD 6,664

14.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.27 IQD 1,662

76.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.16 IQD 1,514

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.06 IQD 1,387

44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.74 IQD 971

85.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.65 IQD 850

73.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.67 IQD 884

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.60 IQD 790

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.37 IQD 483

145.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.49 IQD 1,946

56.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

-17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.76 IQD 2,307

-32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.16 IQD 2,834

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.36 IQD 477

119.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$34.31 IQD 45.0K

19.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.93 IQD 2,531

-25.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.53 IQD 2,002

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.87 IQD 6,382

64.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.47 IQD 618

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

53.09%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

33.30%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

40.78%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

-58.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

-29.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

-13.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

26.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.61 IQD 9,967

-48.49%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$166 IQD 217.4K

84.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$913 IQD 1.2M

547.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

255.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

28.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

52.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

151.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$239 IQD 312.5K

104.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$134 IQD 175.8K

174.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$380 IQD 498.3K

117.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$153 IQD 200.1K

368.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

131.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$481 IQD 630.0K

192.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$746 IQD 976.8K

-26.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $239 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $172 – making An Najaf 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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 53% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,013 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $675 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Medellin at $1,034. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $675 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. 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.