Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,156 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,581 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 37% more expensive than in Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.00 IQD 5,231

47.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.98 IQD 9,134

6.45%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.55 IQD 3,336

-35.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.40 IQD 521

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.20 IQD 266

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.96 IQD 3,879

-41.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.86 IQD 3,743

11.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.32 IQD 1,726

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.83 IQD 1,092

51.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.66 IQD 2,177

-16.87%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.78 IQD 2,332

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.61 IQD 6,038

-2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.68 IQD 6,122

23.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

-32.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.16 IQD 1,518

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.15 IQD 1,501

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.01 IQD 1,328

50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.69 IQD 901

97.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.64 IQD 839

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.64 IQD 836

82.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.67 IQD 880

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 IQD 731

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.96 IQD 2,567

13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.77 IQD 2,313

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.11 IQD 2,762

17.54%

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

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

34.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.25 IQD 2,953

-36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.54 IQD 2,011

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.95 IQD 7,788

32.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.57 IQD 743

73.68%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

-8.28%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

36.78%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$77.0 IQD 100.8K

7.81%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

-45.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

-32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.05 IQD 48.5K

-31.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

15.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.61 IQD 9,965

-48.09%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$152 IQD 199.6K

107.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

80.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.50 IQD 36.0K

118.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

27.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

64.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$40.34 IQD 52.8K

166.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$239 IQD 312.7K

98.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$181 IQD 236.4K

107.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$581 IQD 760.4K

46.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$346 IQD 453.3K

107.83%

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 Az Zubayr: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $158 per month, with Az Zubayr cheaper across the board.

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 Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Az Zubayr differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $731 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.