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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $892 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,353 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,814 in As Samawah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 12% more expensive than in As Samawah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.24 IQD 6,866

12.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

-9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.04 IQD 3,987

-45.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.37 IQD 484

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.20 IQD 265

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.48 IQD 4,553

-50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.93 IQD 3,837

8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.37 IQD 1,799

-19.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.82 IQD 1,074

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.60 IQD 2,089

-13.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.64 IQD 2,146

32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.60 IQD 6,022

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.83 IQD 6,329

19.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

-36.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.03 IQD 1,347

125.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.02 IQD 1,339

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.68 IQD 893

123.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.51 IQD 673

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.70 IQD 916

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.62 IQD 817

88.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.31 IQD 411

190.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.62 IQD 806

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.08 IQD 2,723

7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.07 IQD 2,716

19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.39 IQD 516

117.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

34.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.91 IQD 5,117

-63.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.54 IQD 2,021

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$7.62 IQD 9,979

3.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.56 IQD 734

76.79%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

-10.78%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

35.14%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$179 IQD 234.3K

-53.60%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

-62.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

-41.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

-29.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

12.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-48.77%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$169 IQD 220.9K

87.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

64.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

114.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

4.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

60.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

149.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$239 IQD 312.9K

98.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$182 IQD 238.1K

105.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$579 IQD 758.4K

46.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$349 IQD 457.2K

106.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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 27, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $239 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 $193 vs $173, 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,338 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: $475 in Medellin versus $239 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 35% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $169 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $892 in As Samawah versus $1,003 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 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.