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 $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,057 in Duhok versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Duhok versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 36% 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

$3.93 IQD 5,146

$5.95 COP 21.2K

-33.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

$33.33 COP 118.9K

-41.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,081

$7.23 COP 25.8K

-4.01%

Cappuccino

$2.53 IQD 3,311

$1.63 COP 5,811

55.21%

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

$0.42 IQD 555

$1.09 COP 3,904

-61.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 237

$0.73 COP 2,604

-75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$1.74 COP 6,197

-32.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,524

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-40.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,783

$1.05 COP 3,742

29.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 IQD 1,124

$1.29 COP 4,614

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,060

$1.32 COP 4,718

18.94%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,449

$2.27 COP 8,101

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 IQD 6,857

$4.35 COP 15.5K

20.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 IQD 3,826

$5.88 COP 21.0K

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

$8.61 COP 30.7K

50.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,469

$2.25 COP 8,015

-50.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,565

$1.07 COP 3,814

12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,070

$1.52 COP 5,438

-46.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$1.42 COP 5,073

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 919

$1.17 COP 4,173

-40.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 910

$1.17 COP 4,166

-40.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 957

$0.89 COP 3,163

-17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.90 COP 3,215

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$2.25 COP 8,008

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$11.04 COP 39.4K

14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,884

$1.14 COP 4,063

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$2.38 COP 8,483

-17.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 IQD 431

$0.84 COP 2,979

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

$41.95 COP 149.6K

-62.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 IQD 2,919

$1.41 COP 5,019

58.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,017

$1.90 COP 6,779

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 IQD 7,949

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 861

$1.01 COP 3,586

-34.65%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

8.30%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-25.29%

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

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

$83.7 COP 298.4K

12.12%

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

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

$9.45 COP 33.7K

2.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

$24.11 COP 86.0K

22.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

$25.31 COP 90.3K

104.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

$19.14 COP 68.3K

-11.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 IQD 9,737

$4.10 COP 14.6K

81.46%

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

$115 IQD 150.0K

$312 COP 1.1M

-63.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-44.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-82.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-39.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-69.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

$109 COP 387.1K

-81.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 IQD 162.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

-67.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 IQD 479.6K

$837 COP 3.0M

-56.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.3K

$723 COP 2.6M

-52.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$471 IQD 615.6K

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-83.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 IQD 515.0K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

-67.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 IQD 562.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

-20.50%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Duhok and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 26% 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 $174 vs $190 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 57% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $1,017 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 26% less. 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: $180 in Duhok versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $115 in Duhok versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,017 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 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.