Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $640 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $931 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,223 in Mashhad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 163% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Mashhad is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.67 IQD 6,120

71.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

40.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

29.28%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.08 IQD 4,035

1.62%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.40 IQD 519

377.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.24 IQD 312

529.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.88 IQD 5,082

-19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.89 IQD 5,088

47.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.05 IQD 1,371

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.82 IQD 1,076

203.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.58 IQD 2,067

12.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$0.81 IQD 1,063

265.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$3.80 IQD 4,980

165.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$2.04 IQD 2,676

396.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$2.92 IQD 3,820

389.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.01 IQD 1,325

309.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.12 IQD 1,467

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.98 IQD 1,281

129.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.68 IQD 889

230.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.67 IQD 873

204.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.64 IQD 837

140.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.31 IQD 407

277.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.21 IQD 274

523.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$0.76 IQD 996

413.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.14 IQD 2,799

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.26 IQD 2,953

26.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.25 IQD 2,947

-41.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.51 IQD 1,979

45.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$7.52 IQD 9,851

15.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.65 IQD 857

110.77%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

47.05%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

89.12%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$215 IQD 281.7K

-17.59%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

-34.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

-29.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-37.26%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$165 IQD 216.6K

391.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

161.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

201.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

54.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

85.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$46.47 IQD 60.8K

119.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.12

165.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $127 per month, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Mashhad differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $640 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $960 in Mashhad 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.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mashhad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.