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: $663 in Duhok versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,064 in Duhok versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,466 in Duhok versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duhok is 52% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.84 IQD 5,024

$8.04 COP 25.1K

-52.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 IQD 24.8K

$48.29 COP 150.7K

-60.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 IQD 11.3K

$9.42 COP 29.4K

-8.49%

Cappuccino

$2.81 IQD 3,684

$2.94 COP 9,169

-4.42%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.86 COP 5,817

-78.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$1.46 COP 4,543

-85.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$3.21 COP 10.0K

-41.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 IQD 3,074

$5.71 COP 17.8K

-58.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,611

$1.44 COP 4,491

-14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$2.40 COP 7,494

-67.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 IQD 2,311

$1.70 COP 5,302

3.53%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$2.89 COP 9,022

-35.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.91 IQD 6,436

$10.06 COP 31.4K

-51.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 IQD 4,041

$9.97 COP 31.1K

-69.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 IQD 16.9K

$14.20 COP 44.3K

-9.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,408

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-72.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,450

$1.58 COP 4,947

-29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,065

$2.15 COP 6,718

-62.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$2.30 COP 7,178

-70.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$2.00 COP 6,257

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.51 COP 4,712

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$1.20 COP 3,754

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.28 COP 4,002

-53.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 IQD 2,517

$3.84 COP 12.0K

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 IQD 2,147

$1.71 COP 5,331

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 IQD 2,686

$2.74 COP 8,560

-25.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 466

$1.25 COP 3,888

-71.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.53 IQD 20.3K

$77.9 COP 243.1K

-80.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 IQD 2,436

$1.31 COP 4,073

41.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 IQD 1,875

$2.17 COP 6,775

-34.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 IQD 7,629

$8.29 COP 25.9K

-29.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 879

$1.36 COP 4,231

-50.74%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$27.5K COP 85.7M

-33.34%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$36.5K COP 114.0M

-44.80%

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

$92.3 IQD 120.8K

$169 COP 526.6K

-45.32%

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

$9.76 IQD 12.8K

$13.57 COP 42.4K

-28.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.23 IQD 37.0K

$28.32 COP 88.4K

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

$45.71 COP 142.7K

16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$17.22 COP 53.8K

79.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$6.65 COP 20.8K

13.53%

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

$111 IQD 145.6K

$803 COP 2.5M

-86.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,151 IQD 4.1M

$9,190 COP 28.7M

-65.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

$87.4 COP 272.7K

-88.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 IQD 26.4K

$59.4 COP 185.3K

-66.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.16 IQD 39.5K

$139 COP 433.6K

-78.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.11 IQD 26.3K

$102 COP 318.5K

-80.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.5K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-83.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 IQD 163.7K

$653 COP 2.0M

-80.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 IQD 479.6K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-80.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 442.9K

$1,048 COP 3.3M

-67.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$477 IQD 625.2K

$4,123 COP 12.9M

-88.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$391 IQD 512.6K

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-76.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 IQD 595.5K

$655 COP 2.0M

-30.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

10.94

-76.87%

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

Last update for Duhok: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $179 in Duhok and $1,071 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 $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $300 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 148% in total monthly costs ($663 vs $1,641 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: $179 in Duhok versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $111 in Duhok versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $663 in Duhok versus $1,641 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 148% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.