Cost of Living Comparison Between Halabjah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Halabjah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $769 in Halabjah versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,137 in Halabjah versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Halabjah versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Halabjah costs roughly 23% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Halabjah 42% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,987

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-35.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.17 IQD 25.1K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-41.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 IQD 9,836

$7.43 COP 23.7K

1.08%

Cappuccino

$1.88 IQD 2,461

$1.65 COP 5,276

13.94%

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

$0.37 IQD 478

$1.10 COP 3,514

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.78 COP 2,491

-76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 IQD 3,525

$1.72 COP 5,484

56.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,843

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-7.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 IQD 785

$1.10 COP 3,521

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 975

$1.26 COP 4,015

-41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,182

$1.38 COP 4,407

21.01%

Eggs

$1.56 IQD 2,041

$2.18 COP 6,950

-28.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 IQD 5,861

$4.49 COP 14.3K

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.90 IQD 2,482

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-67.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 IQD 13.0K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,041

$2.32 COP 7,405

-65.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,508

$1.06 COP 3,397

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 IQD 1,026

$1.52 COP 4,838

-48.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 978

$1.36 COP 4,327

-44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$1.13 COP 3,599

-43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 812

$1.17 COP 3,738

-47.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 887

$0.90 COP 2,876

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 IQD 857

$0.90 COP 2,861

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 IQD 2,724

$2.23 COP 7,128

-6.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 IQD 17.5K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

10.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,315

$1.19 COP 3,793

48.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 IQD 1,274

$2.48 COP 7,920

-60.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.85 COP 2,723

-56.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-26.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 IQD 2,049

$1.42 COP 4,518

9.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,929

$1.95 COP 6,223

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 IQD 2,922

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-71.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 703

$0.99 COP 3,160

-45.45%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

11.39%

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

$9,610 IQD 12.6M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-64.14%

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

$155 IQD 203.5K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

87.18%

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

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

20.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

25.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 IQD 48.2K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

45.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 IQD 22.3K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-10.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,793

$3.95 COP 12.6K

89.37%

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

$167 IQD 218.1K

$316 COP 1.0M

-47.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,531 IQD 4.6M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-40.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.56 IQD 9,904

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-87.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

$102 COP 324.4K

-36.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.35 IQD 56.8K

$107 COP 342.8K

-59.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 237.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 IQD 757.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.7K

$719 COP 2.3M

-52.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.43

-57.78%

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

Last update for Halabjah: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Halabjah and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Halabjah vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $193 per month, with Halabjah 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

Halabjah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Halabjah and Medellin differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($769 vs $1,003 including rent). Halabjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,154 in Halabjah and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Halabjah versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Halabjah – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $769 in Halabjah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Halabjah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Halabjah 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.

Expats usually find Halabjah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.