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: $568 in Halabjah versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $840 in Halabjah versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,111 in Halabjah versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Halabjah costs roughly 65% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Halabjah is 59% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 IQD 5,119

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-51.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.06 IQD 25.0K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-60.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 IQD 9,770

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-20.81%

Cappuccino

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$2.94 COP 9,040

-36.39%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.86 COP 5,735

-78.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 344

$1.46 COP 4,479

-82.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 IQD 3,513

$3.21 COP 9,882

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 IQD 5,123

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-31.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 IQD 776

$1.44 COP 4,428

-59.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,010

$2.40 COP 7,389

-67.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,086

$1.70 COP 5,228

-6.47%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$2.89 COP 8,896

-46.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.90 IQD 5,102

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-61.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.88 IQD 2,456

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-81.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 IQD 12.7K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-31.41%

Apples (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 978

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-81.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.58 COP 4,878

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 IQD 1,020

$2.15 COP 6,624

-63.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,013

$2.30 COP 7,078

-66.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 923

$2.00 COP 6,169

-65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$1.51 COP 4,646

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 892

$1.20 COP 3,701

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 863

$1.28 COP 3,946

-48.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 IQD 2,390

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-52.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 IQD 17.6K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-4.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$1.71 COP 5,256

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$2.74 COP 8,440

-63.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$1.25 COP 3,834

-70.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 IQD 2,051

$1.31 COP 4,016

19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,972

$2.17 COP 6,680

-30.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,955

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-72.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 802

$1.36 COP 4,172

-55.15%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-29.52%

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

$9,559 IQD 12.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-73.84%

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

$151 IQD 198.2K

$169 COP 519.2K

-10.29%

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

$11.50 IQD 15.1K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-15.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

6.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-50.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 IQD 13.9K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

59.10%

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

$165 IQD 215.8K

$803 COP 2.5M

-79.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,524 IQD 4.6M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-61.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.48 IQD 9,801

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-91.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.69 IQD 49.4K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-36.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 IQD 97.8K

$139 COP 427.5K

-46.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.82 IQD 61.3K

$102 COP 314.0K

-54.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

10.94

-62.34%

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

Last update for Halabjah: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $19.00 in Halabjah vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $300 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 189% in total monthly costs ($568 vs $1,641 including rent). Halabjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $852 in Halabjah and $2,462 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.

Childcare runs $165 in Halabjah versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Halabjah – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $568 in Halabjah versus $1,641 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 189% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.