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: $607 in Kirkuk versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Kirkuk versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,309 in Kirkuk versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 54% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,960

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-35.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.08 IQD 34.1K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-20.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 IQD 7,629

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-21.53%

Cappuccino

$2.34 IQD 3,067

$1.65 COP 5,207

41.82%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$1.10 COP 3,468

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 246

$0.78 COP 2,458

-75.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,470

$1.72 COP 5,412

98.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 IQD 3,726

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$1.10 COP 3,474

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 793

$1.26 COP 3,962

-51.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$1.38 COP 4,349

19.57%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$2.18 COP 6,858

-32.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 IQD 5,871

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.79 IQD 3,652

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-51.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 IQD 14.2K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

20.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,273

$2.32 COP 7,308

-58.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.06 COP 3,352

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$1.52 COP 4,774

-32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 794

$1.36 COP 4,270

-55.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 658

$1.13 COP 3,552

-55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 707

$1.17 COP 3,689

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 812

$0.90 COP 2,838

-31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 405

$0.90 COP 2,823

-65.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$2.23 COP 7,034

-15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,335

$1.19 COP 3,743

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,755

$2.48 COP 7,815

-15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.85 COP 2,687

-34.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-25.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 IQD 3,870

$1.42 COP 4,459

108.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 IQD 1,512

$1.95 COP 6,141

-41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 IQD 9,744

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-5.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 660

$0.99 COP 3,118

-49.49%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

13.57%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-26.92%

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

$53.5 IQD 70.1K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-35.55%

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

$22.95 IQD 30.0K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

136.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.62 IQD 50.6K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

64.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.45 IQD 18.9K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-42.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 IQD 22.3K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-11.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 IQD 9,774

$3.95 COP 12.4K

88.86%

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

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

$316 COP 994.2K

-81.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-86.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.62 IQD 37.5K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-52.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.11 IQD 40.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-2.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.70 IQD 29.7K

$102 COP 320.1K

-77.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

$107 COP 338.3K

-85.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-83.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 IQD 143.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-70.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 152.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-86.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 IQD 332.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

-64.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$880 IQD 1.2M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-73.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 IQD 522.1K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-72.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 IQD 831.5K

$624 COP 2.0M

1.68%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.3 in Kirkuk and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 2% 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 $193 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 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Kirkuk, 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: $76.3 in Kirkuk versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.6 in Kirkuk versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $607 in Kirkuk versus $1,003 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 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.