Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $643 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $991 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,339 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than in Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ba'qubah 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.05 IQD 6,612

17.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$15.29 IQD 20.0K

115.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.68 IQD 8,747

11.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.17 IQD 1,536

41.03%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.52 IQD 687

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.17 IQD 224

358.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.88 IQD 2,464

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.11 IQD 2,766

50.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.13 IQD 1,482

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.59 IQD 770

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.17 IQD 1,527

17.95%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.46 IQD 1,914

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.29 IQD 2,994

96.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.52 IQD 3,298

129.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

-15.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.99 IQD 1,297

134.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.12 IQD 1,464

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.00 IQD 1,306

52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.55 IQD 719

147.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.55 IQD 725

105.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.64 IQD 840

82.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.49 IQD 642

83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.21 IQD 271

328.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.72 IQD 3,559

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.42 IQD 1,863

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.02 IQD 2,650

22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.39 IQD 517

117.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.62 IQD 40.1K

35.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.31 IQD 3,027

-38.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.02 IQD 2,645

-3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.30 IQD 6,938

48.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.35 IQD 459

182.86%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

-9.71%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

29.82%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$57.9 IQD 75.8K

43.44%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

-44.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

-13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$19.07 IQD 25.0K

32.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.70 IQD 21.9K

14.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.87 IQD 5,073

2.07%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$26.35 IQD 34.5K

1098.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$638 IQD 835.4K

836.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

218.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

68.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$81.0 IQD 106.1K

25.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$26.53 IQD 34.7K

305.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$246 IQD 322.7K

92.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$180 IQD 235.3K

108.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$584 IQD 765.3K

45.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$341 IQD 446.9K

110.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$755 IQD 988.8K

332.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$187 IQD 245.2K

669.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$726 IQD 951.2K

-14.03%

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 Ba'qubah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $141 per month, with Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Ba'qubah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $643 in Ba'qubah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.