Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-22.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

43.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-21.05%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-45.37%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.49 IQD 640

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.20 IQD 261

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.00 IQD 2,624

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.14 IQD 2,797

43.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.32 IQD 1,730

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.84 IQD 1,103

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-23.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.98 IQD 2,599

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.54 IQD 9,879

-41.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.80 IQD 6,282

17.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-37.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.14 IQD 1,491

105.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.20 IQD 1,567

-11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.19 IQD 1,561

26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.76 IQD 994

81.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.70 IQD 918

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.72 IQD 938

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.78 IQD 1,018

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.53 IQD 688

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.63 IQD 3,449

-13.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.45 IQD 1,899

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.01 IQD 2,633

22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.54 IQD 710

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

21.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-37.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-10.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.87 IQD 8,999

12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.70 IQD 911

35.71%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

-5.08%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

28.01%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$102 IQD 134.1K

-19.71%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

-47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

-17.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-64.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

61.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-66.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$269 IQD 352.1K

15.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

81.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

79.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-33.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

26.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$426 IQD 557.6K

11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$278 IQD 364.4K

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$726 IQD 951.1K

15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$485 IQD 635.3K

49.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

148.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$658 IQD 862.3K

83.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$584 IQD 765.0K

-12.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.33

-6.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $426 in Erbil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Erbil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Erbil. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $197 in Erbil – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medellin vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,551 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Erbil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Erbil at $1,034. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.