Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Az-zarqa' Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Az-zarqa'

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $713 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,077 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,441 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

Medellin costs about 137% more than Az-zarqa', driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Az-zarqa' is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.89 COP 24.2K
$4.25 JOD 3.01
85.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.53 COP 136.5K
$24.91 JOD 17.64
78.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.29 COP 28.5K
$5.71 JOD 4.04
62.70%
Cappuccino
$2.90 COP 8,874
$0.84 JOD 0.60
245.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 COP 5,541
$0.43 JOD 0.31
320.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 COP 4,741
$0.35 JOD 0.25
342.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 COP 9,962
$4.11 JOD 2.91
-20.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88 COP 18.0K
$11.12 JOD 7.87
-47.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 COP 4,230
$1.40 JOD 0.99
-1.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 COP 7,517
$0.41 JOD 0.29
497.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 COP 4,617
$1.57 JOD 1.11
-3.82%
Eggs
$2.78 COP 8,516
$1.87 JOD 1.32
48.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 COP 27.7K
$5.03 JOD 3.56
79.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.65 COP 32.6K
$5.30 JOD 3.75
100.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.63 COP 44.8K
$8.57 JOD 6.07
70.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.2K
$1.53 JOD 1.08
159.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 COP 4,219
$1.32 JOD 0.94
4.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 COP 7,056
$1.19 JOD 0.84
93.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.02 COP 6,185
$0.59 JOD 0.42
242.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 COP 6,390
$0.79 JOD 0.56
164.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 COP 4,996
$0.80 JOD 0.56
103.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 COP 3,313
$0.62 JOD 0.44
74.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,843
$0.51 JOD 0.36
145.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03 COP 12.4K
$3.71 JOD 2.63
8.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.47 COP 41.3K
$6.91 JOD 4.89
94.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 4,904
$4.26 JOD 3.02
-62.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 COP 9,189
$4.33 JOD 3.06
-30.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,611
$0.64 JOD 0.46
84.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.9 COP 244.9K
$21.00 JOD 14.87
280.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.61 COP 4,920
$0.63 JOD 0.45
155.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,533
$1.44 JOD 1.02
47.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 COP 26.1K
$5.07 JOD 3.59
68.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,142
$1.44 JOD 1.02
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K COP 86.8M
$17.0K JOD 12.0K
67.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K COP 109.4M
$22.5K JOD 16.0K
58.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 COP 463.8K
$129 JOD 91.2
17.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.10 COP 40.1K
$12.90 JOD 9.13
1.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.30 COP 99.0K
$27.92 JOD 19.76
15.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.33 COP 141.9K
$28.32 JOD 20.05
63.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.26 COP 52.9K
$14.32 JOD 10.14
20.53%
Cinema Ticket
$6.43 COP 19.7K
$9.78 JOD 6.92
-34.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$835 COP 2.6M
$214 JOD 151
290.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,887 COP 27.2M
$4,176 JOD 2,957
112.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.3 COP 273.7K
$20.92 JOD 14.81
327.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3 COP 169.5K
$13.87 JOD 9.82
298.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 418.5K
$44.60 JOD 31.58
206.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 COP 335.1K
$39.38 JOD 27.88
177.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$952 COP 2.9M
$163 JOD 115
485.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$668 COP 2.0M
$123 JOD 86.9
444.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,020 COP 6.2M
$312 JOD 221
547.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 COP 3.5M
$247 JOD 175
364.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,696 COP 11.3M
$561 JOD 397
558.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,586 COP 4.9M
$359 JOD 254
341.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Az-zarqa'
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$625 COP 1.9M
$509 JOD 360
22.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.43
6.81
53.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Az-zarqa': August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $163 in Az-zarqa'. 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 23% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Az-zarqa'. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $179 – making Az-zarqa' 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 Az-zarqa': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Az-zarqa' compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,687 in Medellin, $713 in Az-zarqa' – roughly 137% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Az-zarqa'?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,069 in Az-zarqa'. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Az-zarqa'?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Az-zarqa', especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and in Az-zarqa'?
Public transport costs about 281% less in Az-zarqa'. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Az-zarqa'?
Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $214 in Az-zarqa'. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Az-zarqa', where all-in costs run around $713, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Az-zarqa' it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Az-zarqa'?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $713 in Az-zarqa' to $1,687 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Medellin and Az-zarqa'?
If budget matters most, go with Az-zarqa'. 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.

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