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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,154 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,577 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 41% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.97 IQD 5,195

49.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

30.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.96 IQD 9,113

3.45%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.59 IQD 3,388

-34.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.40 IQD 523

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.17 IQD 226

323.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.98 IQD 3,907

-43.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.88 IQD 3,778

7.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.36 IQD 1,785

-22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.78 IQD 1,025

60.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.59 IQD 2,082

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.71 IQD 2,240

32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.44 IQD 5,814

-2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.80 IQD 6,287

21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.15 IQD 17.2K

-32.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.15 IQD 1,511

94.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.21 IQD 1,590

-10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.06 IQD 1,385

44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.71 IQD 930

92.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.70 IQD 912

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.67 IQD 879

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.63 IQD 823

34.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 IQD 733

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.88 IQD 2,466

23.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.78 IQD 2,329

-33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.19 IQD 2,869

8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.37 IQD 482

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

30.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.24 IQD 2,931

-35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.53 IQD 2,005

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.83 IQD 7,633

37.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.58 IQD 754

62.07%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

-4.87%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

33.22%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

6.60%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.71 IQD 23.2K

-45.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

-30.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

-28.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

13.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.44 IQD 9,751

-47.31%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$151 IQD 197.4K

103.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

78.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

109.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.87 IQD 32.6K

27.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.2 IQD 80.2K

63.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

159.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$242 IQD 316.5K

101.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$175 IQD 229.6K

110.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$571 IQD 748.4K

44.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$350 IQD 459.1K

104.35%

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 Az Zubayr: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $242 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 $190 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,034 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 $1,550 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: $487 in Medellin versus $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% 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 $1,034 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 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.