Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Duhok versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Duhok versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Duhok versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 52% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 IQD 4,994

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-35.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

$33.12 COP 106.6K

-43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 IQD 9,392

$7.12 COP 22.9K

0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,452

$1.71 COP 5,487

54.39%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.05 COP 3,374

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.72 COP 2,324

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$1.72 COP 5,531

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,449

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-41.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,786

$1.06 COP 3,426

29.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,067

$1.31 COP 4,215

-37.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,050

$1.33 COP 4,279

18.05%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,462

$2.28 COP 7,338

-17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 IQD 6,825

$4.42 COP 14.2K

18.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 IQD 3,840

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-50.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$8.64 COP 27.8K

46.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,460

$2.34 COP 7,545

-52.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,494

$1.10 COP 3,546

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,071

$1.47 COP 4,724

-44.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 977

$1.38 COP 4,439

-45.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 939

$1.17 COP 3,774

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 924

$1.17 COP 3,765

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 IQD 1,011

$0.90 COP 2,905

-14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 726

$0.84 COP 2,708

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$2.33 COP 7,490

-19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

$11.92 COP 38.3K

2.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.15 COP 3,693

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,610

$2.42 COP 7,791

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 460

$0.84 COP 2,702

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

$40.83 COP 131.4K

-61.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,079

$1.41 COP 4,541

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$1.91 COP 6,160

-20.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 IQD 7,901

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-22.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.94 COP 3,037

-31.91%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

5.82%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

-27.31%

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

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

$83.3 COP 267.9K

12.00%

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

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

$9.66 COP 31.1K

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

$24.22 COP 77.9K

25.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

$25.22 COP 81.2K

106.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-12.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

$4.07 COP 13.1K

88.70%

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

$112 IQD 146.9K

$307 COP 986.5K

-63.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-46.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

$60.0 COP 192.9K

-83.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

$32.65 COP 105.1K

-39.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

$101 COP 325.2K

-70.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

$108 COP 347.6K

-81.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.5K

$476 COP 1.5M

-62.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 IQD 160.4K

$379 COP 1.2M

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 IQD 489.8K

$816 COP 2.6M

-54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 IQD 450.6K

$707 COP 2.3M

-51.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$460 IQD 601.6K

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-85.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 IQD 503.8K

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-73.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 IQD 564.3K

$622 COP 2.0M

-30.61%

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 Duhok: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Duhok and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Duhok vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $192 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

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

Duhok vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duhok and Medellin differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $1,018 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $181 in Duhok versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $112 in Duhok versus $307 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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, Duhok and Medellin 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.