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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,548 per month in Erbil vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Erbil vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Erbil costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Erbil and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

28.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-30.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

26.66%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$1.71 COP 6,115

83.04%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$1.10 COP 3,924

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.78 COP 2,781

-74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$1.68 COP 5,997

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-30.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.09 COP 3,906

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$1.26 COP 4,508

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.38 COP 4,922

30.43%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$2.19 COP 7,827

-9.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$4.40 COP 15.7K

71.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-14.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

60.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$2.34 COP 8,349

-51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.06 COP 3,777

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.50 COP 5,374

-20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$1.38 COP 4,924

-44.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$1.15 COP 4,111

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$1.16 COP 4,155

-37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.89 COP 3,182

-12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.84 COP 2,997

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$2.28 COP 8,145

15.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.20 COP 4,284

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$2.47 COP 8,824

-18.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.86 COP 3,056

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-17.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$1.47 COP 5,264

59.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$1.96 COP 7,009

12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-11.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.95 COP 3,409

-26.32%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

5.35%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-21.88%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

24.55%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

88.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

21.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

180.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-38.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

195.67%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-13.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-45.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-44.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

49.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$108 COP 387.2K

-29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

-13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

-32.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-59.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-45.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

14.14%

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 Erbil: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Erbil 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 14% higher in Erbil, 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 $23.00 in Erbil versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Erbil vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Erbil is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Erbil, 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 $23.00 in Erbil and $33.00 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Erbil at $1,034. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.