Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baghdadi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baghdadi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,118 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,492 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Baghdadi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.03 IQD 6,588

17.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.32 IQD 22.7K

89.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.91 IQD 9,057

4.20%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.75 IQD 2,287

-2.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.42 IQD 553

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.24 IQD 314

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.98 IQD 3,905

-43.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.79 IQD 3,658

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.09 IQD 1,432

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.62 IQD 819

101.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.29 IQD 2,996

-39.30%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.76 IQD 2,310

28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.76 IQD 7,545

-24.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.53 IQD 5,931

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.42 IQD 12.3K

-6.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.03 IQD 1,346

117.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.01 IQD 1,329

6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.02 IQD 1,330

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.53 IQD 691

158.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.54 IQD 707

109.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.67 IQD 884

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.64 IQD 835

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.48 IQD 631

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.77 IQD 2,316

31.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-18.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.79 IQD 2,349

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.17 IQD 2,844

9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.37 IQD 480

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$31.34 IQD 41.1K

31.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.34 IQD 3,068

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.53 IQD 2,011

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.98 IQD 7,839

34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.53 IQD 699

77.36%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-6.87%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

34.78%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$77.0 IQD 100.9K

9.05%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.90 IQD 23.5K

-46.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

-30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.02 IQD 48.5K

-30.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

13.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-49.42%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$153 IQD 200.9K

99.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,309 IQD 4.3M

78.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.55 IQD 36.1K

110.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

24.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

63.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

157.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$246 IQD 321.7K

98.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$177 IQD 231.7K

108.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$574 IQD 752.4K

43.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$345 IQD 452.1K

107.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,479 IQD 1.9M

97.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$502 IQD 658.2K

180.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$491 IQD 643.8K

11.02%

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 Baghdadi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $246 in Baghdadi. 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 11% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Baghdadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $171 – making Baghdadi 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 Baghdadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,115 in Baghdadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baghdadi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $743 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Baghdadi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Baghdadi, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Baghdadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baghdadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Baghdadi. 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.