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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Mosul is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 IQD 4,562

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-41.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-42.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 IQD 8,090

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-12.83%

Cappuccino

$1.61 IQD 2,111

$1.71 COP 6,115

-5.85%

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

$0.40 IQD 525

$1.10 COP 3,924

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 283

$0.78 COP 2,781

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 IQD 2,034

$1.68 COP 5,997

-7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 IQD 2,037

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-49.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 IQD 1,230

$1.09 COP 3,906

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,079

$1.26 COP 4,508

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,682

$1.38 COP 4,922

-7.25%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,000

$2.19 COP 7,827

-30.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,553

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-20.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,979

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-32.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

32.51%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 887

$2.34 COP 8,349

-70.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,406

$1.06 COP 3,777

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$1.50 COP 5,374

-54.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 603

$1.38 COP 4,924

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 IQD 590

$1.15 COP 4,111

-60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 753

$1.16 COP 4,155

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 IQD 580

$0.89 COP 3,182

-50.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 687

$0.84 COP 2,997

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,566

$2.28 COP 8,145

-14.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 IQD 9,859

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-29.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,873

$1.20 COP 4,284

19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 IQD 2,462

$2.47 COP 8,824

-23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.86 COP 3,056

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

83.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 IQD 2,042

$1.47 COP 5,264

6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,922

$1.96 COP 7,009

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 IQD 6,049

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 754

$0.95 COP 3,409

-38.95%

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

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-4.56%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.94%

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

$102 IQD 133.3K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

23.77%

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

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

22.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

15.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

140.46%

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

$176 IQD 230.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

-43.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-44.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-74.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-39.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-73.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$108 COP 387.2K

-76.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 IQD 198.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-68.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-76.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 IQD 347.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

-68.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 IQD 374.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

-60.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$814 IQD 1.1M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-70.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 IQD 1.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-23.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 IQD 621.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

-7.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

13.43

6.70%

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

Last update for Mosul: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Mosul versus $476 in Medellin. 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 $19.00 in Mosul versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $188 – 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

Mosul vs Medellin: 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 $935 per month in Mosul and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $19.00 in Mosul and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $624 in Mosul and $1,013 in Medellin. 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.