Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirkuk: $545 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Kirkuk
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Kirkuk Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Kirkuk

🇮🇶 Iraq

$545

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kirkuk and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kirkuk and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $545 in Kirkuk versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Kirkuk $545
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $871 in Kirkuk versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Kirkuk $871
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,197 in Kirkuk versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Kirkuk $1,197
Medellin $3,186

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 67% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kirkuk is 60% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 IQD 5,360

$8.09 COP 26.1K

-56.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 IQD 35.1K

$47.05 COP 151.7K

-50.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 IQD 7,928

$9.50 COP 30.6K

-44.74%

Cappuccino

$2.35 IQD 3,558

$3.01 COP 9,722

-21.93%

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

$0.38 IQD 576

$1.80 COP 5,801

-78.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 283

$1.41 COP 4,554

-86.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 IQD 4,102

$3.18 COP 10.2K

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 IQD 5,010

$5.75 COP 18.5K

-42.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,471

$1.51 COP 4,869

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 IQD 858

$2.38 COP 7,667

-76.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 IQD 2,068

$1.77 COP 5,712

-22.60%

Eggs

$1.27 IQD 1,913

$2.89 COP 9,320

-56.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.37 IQD 5,090

$10.19 COP 32.9K

-66.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 IQD 4,871

$9.87 COP 31.8K

-67.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 IQD 16.9K

$13.99 COP 45.1K

-19.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 1,121

$3.97 COP 12.8K

-81.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,196

$1.55 COP 5,005

-49.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,294

$2.18 COP 7,039

-60.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 964

$2.18 COP 7,041

-70.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 736

$1.96 COP 6,328

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 IQD 722

$1.59 COP 5,125

-69.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 844

$1.15 COP 3,694

-51.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 523

$1.24 COP 4,009

-71.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,521

$3.96 COP 12.8K

-57.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 IQD 17.6K

$13.68 COP 44.1K

-14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 IQD 1,937

$1.66 COP 5,352

-22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 IQD 2,472

$2.26 COP 7,281

-27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 522

$1.17 COP 3,766

-70.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.84 IQD 30.0K

$77.4 COP 249.5K

-74.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,914

$1.27 COP 4,089

51.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 IQD 1,940

$2.05 COP 6,603

-37.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 IQD 10.0K

$8.55 COP 27.6K

-22.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 IQD 726

$1.35 COP 4,343

-64.44%

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

$16.2K IQD 24.5M

$34.1K COP 109.8M

-52.38%

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

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

$34.7K COP 111.8M

-52.73%

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

$51.8 IQD 78.3K

$170 COP 547.0K

-69.44%

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

$19.86 IQD 30.0K

$13.55 COP 43.7K

46.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.46 IQD 58.1K

$28.07 COP 90.5K

37.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.62 IQD 14.5K

$43.70 COP 140.9K

-77.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 IQD 14.8K

$6.91 COP 22.3K

42.26%

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

$147 IQD 222.9K

$797 COP 2.6M

-81.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 IQD 5.0M

$9,112 COP 29.4M

-63.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.85 IQD 39.1K

$84.7 COP 273.2K

-69.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.19 IQD 24.5K

$58.0 COP 186.9K

-72.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 IQD 88.8K

$135 COP 435.2K

-56.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.49 IQD 44.6K

$97.9 COP 315.6K

-69.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 IQD 252.8K

$1,208 COP 3.9M

-86.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.1 IQD 121.1K

$642 COP 2.1M

-87.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 IQD 294.5K

$2,028 COP 6.5M

-90.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 IQD 298.5K

$1,012 COP 3.3M

-80.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$501 IQD 757.5K

$4,170 COP 13.4M

-87.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$262 IQD 395.8K

$1,910 COP 6.2M

-86.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 IQD 584.6K

$657 COP 2.1M

-41.13%

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 Kirkuk: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kirkuk

$143 26.2%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 108% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kirkuk

$110 20.2%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 91.8% $101

Eating Out

Kirkuk

$95 17.4%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 78.8% $75

Accommodation & Living

Kirkuk

$80 14.7%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 701% $561

Clothing & Footwear

Kirkuk

$59 10.8%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 188% $110

Getting Around

Kirkuk

$30 5.4%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 216% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Kirkuk

$29 5.4%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 96.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Kirkuk and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23 in Kirkuk vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $297 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Kirkuk

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

00:17 12:17 AM

16:17 4:17 PM

8 h behind Kirkuk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

850,787

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kirkuk Medellin 12,230 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Kirkuk
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 67% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Kirkuk. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $167 in Kirkuk versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $147 in Kirkuk versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $545 in Kirkuk versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 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.

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 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.