Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Erbil vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Erbil vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Erbil vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Erbil is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Erbil sits 19% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-4.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-7.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-14.86%

Cappuccino

$3.84 IQD 5,027

$3.13 COP 9,873

22.68%

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

$1.03 IQD 1,353

$1.91 COP 6,019

-46.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 580

$1.51 COP 4,763

-70.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$3.12 COP 9,853

93.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 IQD 6,166

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,657

$1.44 COP 4,558

-11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,083

$2.49 COP 7,843

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 IQD 2,197

$1.77 COP 5,595

-5.08%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,345

$2.96 COP 9,336

-39.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 IQD 10.6K

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-19.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 IQD 7,574

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-42.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

$14.30 COP 45.1K

3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,483

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-72.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,443

$1.61 COP 5,073

-31.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$2.25 COP 7,083

-45.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,068

$2.25 COP 7,104

-63.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$2.04 COP 6,444

-65.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$1.54 COP 4,842

-55.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 969

$1.17 COP 3,691

-36.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 723

$1.31 COP 4,121

-58.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,294

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-35.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,217

$1.74 COP 5,498

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,735

$2.87 COP 9,053

-27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.22 COP 3,834

-51.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 IQD 57.4K

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-45.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,544

$1.31 COP 4,129

48.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,381

$2.19 COP 6,899

-16.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 IQD 8,588

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-24.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 882

$1.37 COP 4,306

-51.09%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-34.17%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-43.77%

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

$128 IQD 167.0K

$177 COP 559.3K

-28.08%

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

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

$13.88 COP 43.8K

0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 IQD 86.4K

$44.88 COP 141.6K

46.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-14.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$6.65 COP 21.0K

75.49%

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

$309 IQD 405.1K

$813 COP 2.6M

-61.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-65.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-65.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 IQD 90.7K

$138 COP 435.9K

-49.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 IQD 88.3K

$102 COP 322.1K

-34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 IQD 602.5K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-56.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 IQD 389.4K

$663 COP 2.1M

-55.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 969.5K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-60.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 IQD 566.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-57.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-73.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 IQD 870.8K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-60.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 IQD 803.9K

$678 COP 2.1M

-9.42%

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 Erbil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Erbil versus $1,062 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 10% 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 $44.00 in Erbil versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $305 – making Erbil 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

Erbil vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,652 per month in Erbil and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Erbil and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Erbil. 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.