Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mosul Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mosul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $632 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,006 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,380 in Mosul, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.47 IQD 4,547

77.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

67.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.08 IQD 7,956

20.72%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.61 IQD 2,109

6.83%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 IQD 528

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.21 IQD 278

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.55 IQD 2,033

9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.50 IQD 1,964

111.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.01 IQD 1,319

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.82 IQD 1,073

58.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.29 IQD 1,690

8.53%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.59 IQD 2,076

35.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.56 IQD 4,665

23.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.94 IQD 5,165

49.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

-26.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.73 IQD 953

212.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.06 IQD 1,389

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.72 IQD 942

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.47 IQD 611

187.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.45 IQD 592

151.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.58 IQD 760

94.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.48 IQD 622

77.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 IQD 676

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.93 IQD 2,523

21.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.60 IQD 9,958

62.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.40 IQD 1,831

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.88 IQD 2,461

32.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.36 IQD 477

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-47.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.49 IQD 1,949

-4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.47 IQD 1,927

30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.48 IQD 5,864

70.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.52 IQD 686

90.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

3.19%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

31.44%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$100 IQD 131.1K

-19.31%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

-33.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

-18.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$22.10 IQD 28.9K

13.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.90 IQD 28.7K

-12.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.68 IQD 12.7K

-58.88%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$180 IQD 236.3K

69.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,281 IQD 4.3M

84.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

280.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

65.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$26.54 IQD 34.7K

279.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

322.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$150 IQD 196.2K

218.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$87.6 IQD 114.7K

329.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$267 IQD 349.3K

216.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$282 IQD 368.8K

159.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$792 IQD 1.0M

306.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$913 IQD 1.2M

50.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$489 IQD 640.2K

26.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.33

-6.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mosul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $150 in Mosul. 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 26% 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 $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $147 – making Mosul 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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $948 in Mosul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Mosul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $632 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mosul, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Mosul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mosul – 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 Mosul. 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.