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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $761 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,146 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,532 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Baghdadi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.91 IQD 6,427

22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$17.33 IQD 22.7K

89.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$6.98 IQD 9,140

6.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-6.25%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.45 IQD 590

137.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.26 IQD 341

192.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.83 IQD 3,707

-39.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.90 IQD 3,793

10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.15 IQD 1,505

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.67 IQD 875

95.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-43.22%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.77 IQD 2,316

23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$5.80 IQD 7,597

-23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.45 IQD 5,826

27.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$9.36 IQD 12.3K

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.03 IQD 1,343

127.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$0.97 IQD 1,274

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$0.99 IQD 1,293

53.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.54 IQD 705

153.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.53 IQD 694

116.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.67 IQD 874

76.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.66 IQD 858

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.52 IQD 687

65.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$1.72 IQD 2,251

31.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$14.98 IQD 19.6K

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.78 IQD 2,327

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.14 IQD 2,804

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.39 IQD 516

102.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$30.95 IQD 40.5K

31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$2.26 IQD 2,965

-34.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.47 IQD 1,923

30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$6.13 IQD 8,033

26.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.52 IQD 686

94.23%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-8.23%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

34.42%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$77.2 IQD 101.1K

5.01%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$17.46 IQD 22.9K

-45.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$34.13 IQD 44.7K

-30.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$37.28 IQD 48.8K

-30.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$16.59 IQD 21.7K

12.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-47.02%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$151 IQD 197.2K

108.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$3,324 IQD 4.4M

81.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

121.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$24.84 IQD 32.5K

28.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$62.4 IQD 81.7K

62.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$41.46 IQD 54.3K

153.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$246 IQD 322.3K

97.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$179 IQD 234.3K

104.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$587 IQD 768.9K

40.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$340 IQD 445.5K

114.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,527 IQD 2.0M

95.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$510 IQD 667.6K

157.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$503 IQD 659.0K

9.45%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 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 9% 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 $175 – 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 35%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,141 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $761 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 $761, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.