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 $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Erbil vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Erbil vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Erbil and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-30.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

20.98%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$1.72 COP 5,592

86.05%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$1.05 COP 3,416

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.77 COP 2,511

-74.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$1.69 COP 5,480

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-32.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.05 COP 3,418

24.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$1.30 COP 4,230

-34.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.40 COP 4,538

32.86%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$2.16 COP 7,037

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$4.39 COP 14.3K

64.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

64.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$2.28 COP 7,415

-47.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.11 COP 3,599

3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.53 COP 4,976

-24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$1.35 COP 4,405

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$1.13 COP 3,669

-39.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$1.13 COP 3,687

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$0.85 COP 2,749

-14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.91 COP 2,971

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$2.34 COP 7,619

11.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$1.20 COP 3,904

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$2.49 COP 8,094

-20.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$0.84 COP 2,724

-29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-13.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$1.42 COP 4,617

58.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$1.92 COP 6,227

21.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-11.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$0.99 COP 3,219

-34.34%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

7.61%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-21.74%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

25.84%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

75.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

22.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

194.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-39.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

186.68%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$305 COP 992.2K

-13.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-46.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-42.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

54.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$101 COP 327.5K

-19.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$108 COP 350.3K

-29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$477 COP 1.5M

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-26.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

-13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-32.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-64.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-51.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

-5.80%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Erbil versus $477 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 6% higher in Medellin. 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 – $195 in Erbil vs $193 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil and $1,546 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 1% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Erbil and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, 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.