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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $746 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,164 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 36% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.97 IQD 5,205

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

34.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.76 IQD 8,848

6.95%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.63 IQD 3,446

-38.02%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.36 IQD 475

202.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.16 IQD 213

356.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.86 IQD 3,745

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.93 IQD 3,833

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.36 IQD 1,777

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.82 IQD 1,076

57.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.64 IQD 2,151

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.81 IQD 2,364

25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.42 IQD 5,784

-1.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.81 IQD 6,292

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

-34.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.14 IQD 1,490

97.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.15 IQD 1,506

-6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.01 IQD 1,323

50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.69 IQD 905

105.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.69 IQD 904

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.67 IQD 874

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.62 IQD 817

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.56 IQD 737

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.94 IQD 2,534

15.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.80 IQD 2,357

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.14 IQD 2,809

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.40 IQD 522

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$31.60 IQD 41.4K

32.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.29 IQD 2,996

-38.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.47 IQD 1,926

29.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.96 IQD 7,804

30.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.57 IQD 743

77.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-9.51%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

32.13%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$77.3 IQD 101.3K

8.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

-46.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

-29.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

-31.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

11.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.50 IQD 9,822

-45.33%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$153 IQD 200.4K

103.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

82.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.32 IQD 35.8K

112.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

30.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

61.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$41.83 IQD 54.8K

159.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$243 IQD 317.6K

98.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$179 IQD 234.4K

111.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$586 IQD 767.7K

42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$344 IQD 451.1K

109.93%

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 Az Zubayr: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $243 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $746 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,118 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: $482 in Medellin versus $243 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 $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,017 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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.