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: $633 in Kirkuk versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,002 in Kirkuk versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,372 in Kirkuk versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kirkuk is 54% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.18 IQD 5,472

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-47.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.43 IQD 34.6K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-44.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 IQD 7,911

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-38.93%

Cappuccino

$2.35 IQD 3,076

$3.13 COP 9,767

-24.92%

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

$0.39 IQD 516

$1.91 COP 5,954

-79.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 IQD 328

$1.51 COP 4,712

-83.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,054

$3.12 COP 9,747

23.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 IQD 5,121

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-32.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,425

$1.44 COP 4,509

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 850

$2.49 COP 7,759

-73.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 IQD 2,031

$1.77 COP 5,535

-12.43%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,002

$2.96 COP 9,235

-48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.79 IQD 4,963

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-62.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 IQD 4,821

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-63.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 IQD 16.8K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-80.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,208

$1.61 COP 5,019

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,176

$2.25 COP 7,007

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$2.25 COP 7,028

-69.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 IQD 701

$2.04 COP 6,375

-74.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 703

$1.54 COP 4,790

-64.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 IQD 804

$1.17 COP 3,651

-47.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 446

$1.31 COP 4,077

-74.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 IQD 2,343

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-54.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$1.74 COP 5,439

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 IQD 2,469

$2.87 COP 8,956

-34.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.22 COP 3,792

-67.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-70.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,943

$1.31 COP 4,084

71.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,944

$2.19 COP 6,825

-32.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 IQD 9,764

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-14.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$1.37 COP 4,260

-60.58%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-31.12%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-46.59%

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

$53.9 IQD 70.5K

$177 COP 553.2K

-69.63%

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

$21.46 IQD 28.1K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

54.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.64 IQD 55.8K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

43.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-74.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

59.70%

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

$171 IQD 223.5K

$813 COP 2.5M

-79.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,434 IQD 4.5M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-62.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.15 IQD 39.5K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-66.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-67.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

$138 COP 431.2K

-46.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.21 IQD 44.8K

$102 COP 318.7K

-66.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 IQD 248.7K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-82.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.7 IQD 118.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-86.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 IQD 305.5K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-87.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 IQD 294.4K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-78.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 752.2K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-86.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$308 IQD 403.0K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-81.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 IQD 579.2K

$678 COP 2.1M

-34.74%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $190 in Kirkuk and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 53% 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: $26.00 in Kirkuk vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $305 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 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Medellin. 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: $190 in Kirkuk versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $171 in Kirkuk versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $633 in Kirkuk versus $1,681 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 166% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.