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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $653 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,030 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,407 in Mosul, rent included.

Medellin costs about 151% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Mosul is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.34 IQD 4,380

140.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

151.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.23 IQD 8,156

51.20%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.62 IQD 2,118

81.48%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.37 IQD 489

402.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.17 IQD 226

758.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.57 IQD 2,051

104.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.56 IQD 2,043

266.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.80 IQD 1,047

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.80 IQD 1,045

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.33 IQD 1,739

27.82%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.49 IQD 1,956

93.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.59 IQD 4,707

180.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.34 IQD 5,687

129.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.71 IQD 15.3K

21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$0.69 IQD 900

476.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.07 IQD 1,401

47.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.71 IQD 929

202.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.53 IQD 692

333.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.49 IQD 644

308.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.44 IQD 582

243.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.39 IQD 515

207.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.66 IQD 862

93.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.88 IQD 2,463

104.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

78.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.96 IQD 2,564

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.90 IQD 2,485

44.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.39 IQD 513

220.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$75.4 IQD 98.7K

3.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.57 IQD 2,061

-16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.48 IQD 1,944

46.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.51 IQD 5,907

83.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.50 IQD 661

172.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$17.2K IQD 22.6M

59.36%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

79.40%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$88.0 IQD 115.3K

91.64%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

-12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$34.00 IQD 44.5K

-16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$23.85 IQD 31.2K

91.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$25.99 IQD 34.0K

-33.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$9.78 IQD 12.8K

-32.00%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$200 IQD 261.7K

302.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,569 IQD 4.7M

157.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

616.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.90 IQD 24.8K

214.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

422.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

297.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$162 IQD 212.7K

559.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$114 IQD 149.7K

471.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$281 IQD 368.5K

584.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$284 IQD 371.4K

269.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$812 IQD 1.1M

407.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$927 IQD 1.2M

83.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$477 IQD 624.2K

37.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mosul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $162 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 37% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $151 – 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 151%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $980 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 $48.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $653 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 $653, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.