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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $895 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,362 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,828 in As Samawah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.25 IQD 6,880

13.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

-8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.56 IQD 9,893

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.08 IQD 4,032

-47.08%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.39 IQD 517

179.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.17 IQD 228

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.50 IQD 4,585

-50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.93 IQD 3,832

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.35 IQD 1,770

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.78 IQD 1,027

65.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.65 IQD 2,157

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.63 IQD 2,139

39.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.63 IQD 6,061

-6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.99 IQD 6,536

17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

-39.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.03 IQD 1,344

118.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.98 IQD 1,280

9.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.71 IQD 935

114.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.51 IQD 672

178.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.64 IQD 845

82.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.68 IQD 889

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.34 IQD 449

161.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.62 IQD 806

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.16 IQD 2,831

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

40.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.77 IQD 2,317

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.19 IQD 2,868

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.40 IQD 519

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

35.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.93 IQD 5,143

-64.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.49 IQD 1,952

27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-1.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.57 IQD 746

77.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

-13.06%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

30.88%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$175 IQD 228.8K

-52.10%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

-62.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

-41.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

-30.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

13.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-46.68%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$164 IQD 215.1K

89.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

66.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

100.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

55.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

146.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$242 IQD 316.6K

99.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$175 IQD 229.5K

116.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$579 IQD 758.5K

44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$348 IQD 456.2K

107.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $242 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $37.00 in As Samawah. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,343 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: $482 in Medellin versus $242 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 $312 in Medellin versus $164 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,017 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.