Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $886 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,349 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,813 in As Samawah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 17% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, As Samawah 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.37 IQD 7,038

10.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

-8.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.63 IQD 10.0K

-5.64%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.00 IQD 3,925

-43.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.39 IQD 513

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.17 IQD 216

323.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.51 IQD 4,594

-52.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.91 IQD 3,816

6.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.31 IQD 1,719

-19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.82 IQD 1,080

52.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.63 IQD 2,136

-14.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.61 IQD 2,110

40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.39 IQD 5,746

-1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.06 IQD 6,625

15.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-36.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.02 IQD 1,333

119.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.99 IQD 1,294

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.69 IQD 903

121.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.49 IQD 639

179.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.66 IQD 862

71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.63 IQD 822

77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.32 IQD 418

165.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.67 IQD 878

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.11 IQD 2,765

10.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.59 IQD 9,945

46.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.18 IQD 2,858

8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.40 IQD 521

97.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

31.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.73 IQD 4,885

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.54 IQD 2,019

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

4.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.54 IQD 704

74.07%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-10.28%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

33.55%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$176 IQD 230.0K

-52.18%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

-62.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

-40.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

-30.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

15.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-49.87%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$166 IQD 217.7K

84.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

65.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

105.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

53.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

144.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$243 IQD 318.0K

100.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$176 IQD 230.2K

109.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$576 IQD 755.1K

43.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$347 IQD 455.0K

106.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $243 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in As Samawah. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $172, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.

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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,329 in As Samawah 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: $487 in Medellin versus $243 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 32% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $166 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $886 in As Samawah versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.