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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $624 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,003 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,383 in Mosul, rent included.

Medellin costs about 62% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.48 IQD 4,562

72.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

73.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.18 IQD 8,090

14.72%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.61 IQD 2,111

6.21%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.40 IQD 525

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.22 IQD 283

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.55 IQD 2,034

8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.56 IQD 2,037

96.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.94 IQD 1,230

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.82 IQD 1,079

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.28 IQD 1,682

7.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.53 IQD 2,000

43.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.48 IQD 4,553

26.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.80 IQD 4,979

48.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

-24.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.68 IQD 887

244.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.07 IQD 1,406

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.68 IQD 888

120.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.46 IQD 603

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.45 IQD 590

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.58 IQD 753

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.44 IQD 580

102.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.52 IQD 687

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.96 IQD 2,566

16.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.53 IQD 9,859

41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.43 IQD 1,873

-16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.88 IQD 2,462

31.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.36 IQD 473

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-45.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.56 IQD 2,042

-5.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.47 IQD 1,922

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.62 IQD 6,049

67.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.58 IQD 754

63.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

4.78%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

29.76%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$102 IQD 133.3K

-19.20%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

-38.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

-18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

-13.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

-58.41%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$176 IQD 230.2K

76.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

81.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

284.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

65.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

283.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

325.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$152 IQD 198.9K

213.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

331.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$265 IQD 347.3K

216.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$286 IQD 374.3K

153.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$814 IQD 1.1M

242.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$925 IQD 1.2M

30.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$475 IQD 621.9K

7.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mosul: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $152 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 8% 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: $188 vs $145 – 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 62%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $935 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $624 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 $624, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.