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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $851 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,277 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,702 in Mashhad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 18% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Mashhad 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$5.25 IQD 6,877

12.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

-9.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-3.63%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$3.05 IQD 3,998

-45.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$0.37 IQD 482

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$0.22 IQD 286

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$3.37 IQD 4,410

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$2.94 IQD 3,853

8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$1.31 IQD 1,715

-16.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$0.84 IQD 1,094

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$1.57 IQD 2,058

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$0.80 IQD 1,045

172.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$4.59 IQD 6,007

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$2.02 IQD 2,646

186.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$3.01 IQD 3,943

198.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$0.99 IQD 1,291

134.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$1.17 IQD 1,531

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$0.97 IQD 1,275

56.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$0.68 IQD 894

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$0.69 IQD 908

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$0.63 IQD 831

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$0.29 IQD 374

210.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$0.20 IQD 262

350.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$0.82 IQD 1,078

171.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

-10.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$1.78 IQD 2,335

-33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$2.07 IQD 2,716

19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$0.36 IQD 473

136.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

32.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$3.81 IQD 4,988

-62.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$1.50 IQD 1,960

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$7.55 IQD 9,884

4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$0.57 IQD 742

73.68%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-13.68%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

34.33%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$177 IQD 231.6K

-53.06%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

-63.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

-42.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

-30.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

14.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$7.43 IQD 9,735

-46.84%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$165 IQD 215.8K

91.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

67.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

109.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

57.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

146.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$242 IQD 316.9K

96.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$182 IQD 238.0K

105.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$573 IQD 750.4K

48.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$349 IQD 457.0K

106.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $242 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $37.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $130, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $851 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,277 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: $475 in Medellin versus $242 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $851 in Mashhad versus $1,003 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 18% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.