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: $789 in Halabjah versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,158 in Halabjah versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,527 in Halabjah versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Halabjah costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Halabjah 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 IQD 5,154

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-33.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 IQD 25.1K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-42.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 IQD 10.3K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.71%

Cappuccino

$1.89 IQD 2,469

$1.63 COP 5,687

15.95%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$1.09 COP 3,821

-64.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 213

$0.73 COP 2,548

-78.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 IQD 3,493

$1.74 COP 6,065

53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,686

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-13.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 IQD 821

$1.05 COP 3,662

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,052

$1.29 COP 4,515

-37.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,079

$1.32 COP 4,617

20.45%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,054

$2.27 COP 7,927

-30.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 IQD 5,967

$4.35 COP 15.2K

4.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.96 IQD 2,564

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 IQD 12.7K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$2.25 COP 7,844

-66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,558

$1.07 COP 3,733

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,029

$1.52 COP 5,322

-48.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$1.42 COP 4,964

-51.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 899

$1.17 COP 4,084

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 815

$1.17 COP 4,077

-47.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.89 COP 3,096

-30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 IQD 852

$0.90 COP 3,146

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 IQD 2,825

$2.25 COP 7,837

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.61 IQD 17.8K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,417

$1.14 COP 3,977

62.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 IQD 1,195

$2.38 COP 8,301

-61.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.84 COP 2,916

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-25.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 IQD 2,056

$1.41 COP 4,912

11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,018

$1.90 COP 6,634

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,979

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-70.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 744

$1.01 COP 3,509

-43.56%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

15.49%

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

$9,469 IQD 12.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-64.26%

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

$156 IQD 203.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

85.91%

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

$11.38 IQD 14.9K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

20.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.92 IQD 39.2K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

24.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.53 IQD 47.8K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

44.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-13.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,839

$4.10 COP 14.3K

83.17%

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

$168 IQD 220.0K

$312 COP 1.1M

-46.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,549 IQD 4.6M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-40.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.62 IQD 9,980

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-86.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.20 IQD 39.6K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-7.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 IQD 85.9K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-34.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

$109 COP 378.8K

-59.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 IQD 320.5K

$482 COP 1.7M

-49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 IQD 746.0K

$837 COP 2.9M

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

-51.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Halabjah and $482 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 $149 vs $190 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 29% in total monthly costs ($789 vs $1,017 including rent). Halabjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,183 in Halabjah and $1,525 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: $245 in Halabjah versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 $789 in Halabjah versus $1,017 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 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.