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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $839 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,267 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,695 in Mashhad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mashhad 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.42 IQD 7,106

9.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

-10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.47 IQD 9,782

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.00 IQD 3,930

-43.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.36 IQD 473

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.21 IQD 277

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.52 IQD 4,610

-52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.92 IQD 3,830

6.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.78 IQD 1,027

60.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.64 IQD 2,149

-15.24%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.88 IQD 1,155

156.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.49 IQD 5,876

-3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.05 IQD 2,689

184.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.09 IQD 4,042

185.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.98 IQD 1,280

128.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.21 IQD 1,585

-10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.01 IQD 1,329

51.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.71 IQD 936

92.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.65 IQD 852

73.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.67 IQD 878

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.29 IQD 376

193.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.19 IQD 246

378.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$0.78 IQD 1,028

198.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.47 IQD 17.7K

-17.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.10 IQD 2,755

12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.40 IQD 519

97.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$31.56 IQD 41.3K

30.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.73 IQD 4,893

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.47 IQD 1,931

29.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$7.50 IQD 9,829

6.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.56 IQD 740

67.86%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-9.44%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

33.15%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$177 IQD 232.0K

-52.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$26.01 IQD 34.1K

-63.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.80 IQD 53.5K

-40.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.02 IQD 47.2K

-28.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

12.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.51 IQD 9,834

-47.80%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$166 IQD 217.9K

84.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,534 IQD 4.6M

67.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$28.46 IQD 37.3K

103.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$64.9 IQD 85.1K

53.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$43.00 IQD 56.3K

149.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$239 IQD 313.3K

103.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$181 IQD 236.9K

103.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$581 IQD 761.8K

42.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$339 IQD 444.7K

110.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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 Mashhad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $239 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $132, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $839 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,259 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $239 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $166 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $839 in Mashhad versus $1,034 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 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.