Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $609 in Kirkuk versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $960 in Kirkuk versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,311 in Kirkuk versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 40% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 55% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-36.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-22.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-20.33%

Cappuccino

$2.34 IQD 3,064

$1.63 COP 5,687

43.56%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$1.09 COP 3,821

-64.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 235

$0.73 COP 2,548

-75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,468

$1.74 COP 6,065

95.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,782

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,498

$1.05 COP 3,662

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 796

$1.29 COP 4,515

-52.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,182

$1.32 COP 4,617

26.52%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 1,941

$2.27 COP 7,927

-34.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,997

$4.35 COP 15.2K

5.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 IQD 3,727

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 IQD 14.1K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,180

$2.25 COP 7,844

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,334

$1.07 COP 3,733

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,296

$1.52 COP 5,322

-34.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.42 COP 4,964

-54.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 643

$1.17 COP 4,084

-58.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 651

$1.17 COP 4,077

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 830

$0.89 COP 3,096

-29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 401

$0.90 COP 3,146

-65.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,440

$2.25 COP 7,837

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

22.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,311

$1.14 COP 3,977

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,760

$2.38 COP 8,301

-11.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 727

$0.84 COP 2,916

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.66 IQD 41.5K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-24.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 IQD 3,832

$1.41 COP 4,912

107.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 IQD 1,451

$1.90 COP 6,634

-41.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 697

$1.01 COP 3,509

-47.52%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

15.94%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.45%

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

$52.7 IQD 69.0K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-37.03%

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

$23.40 IQD 30.6K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

147.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 IQD 50.8K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

60.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.67 IQD 19.2K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-42.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-10.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 IQD 9,819

$4.10 COP 14.3K

82.93%

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

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

$312 COP 1.1M

-81.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$780 IQD 1.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-86.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.28 IQD 37.0K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-51.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.17 IQD 39.5K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-7.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.14 IQD 30.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-76.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.72 IQD 19.3K

$109 COP 378.8K

-86.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$482 COP 1.7M

-84.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 IQD 142.1K

$379 COP 1.3M

-71.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 147.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

-86.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 IQD 329.5K

$723 COP 2.5M

-65.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 IQD 1.1M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-69.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$398 IQD 520.7K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-67.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 IQD 826.1K

$541 COP 1.9M

16.63%

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 Kirkuk: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.8 in Kirkuk and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Kirkuk vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $190 per month, with Kirkuk 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

Kirkuk vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kirkuk pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $73.8 in Kirkuk versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $58.8 in Kirkuk versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $609 in Kirkuk versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kirkuk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.