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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,522 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,010 in Erbil, rent included.

Medellin and Erbil have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

43.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

-17.34%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.20 IQD 4,189

-46.25%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.48 IQD 630

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 IQD 262

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.93 IQD 2,523

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.14 IQD 2,803

48.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.31 IQD 1,719

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.85 IQD 1,108

52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.86 IQD 2,439

-24.73%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.98 IQD 2,590

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.23 IQD 9,474

-39.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.72 IQD 6,184

24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

-39.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.19 IQD 1,563

91.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.15 IQD 1,505

-3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.15 IQD 1,502

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.81 IQD 1,057

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.68 IQD 888

66.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.75 IQD 980

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.73 IQD 952

16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 IQD 742

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.62 IQD 3,428

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.39 IQD 1,824

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.97 IQD 2,579

26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.59 IQD 776

42.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

15.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.25 IQD 2,942

-36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-17.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.75 IQD 8,845

13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.65 IQD 849

52.31%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-7.07%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

27.78%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$102 IQD 133.2K

-20.53%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

-42.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

-18.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

-65.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

65.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

-65.12%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$263 IQD 343.7K

16.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

86.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

73.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

-35.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

24.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$429 IQD 562.2K

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$275 IQD 360.3K

36.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$732 IQD 958.5K

15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$495 IQD 647.8K

47.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

184.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$660 IQD 864.4K

107.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$581 IQD 760.9K

6.15%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $429 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 6% higher in Medellin. 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $195 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 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 1% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $263 in Erbil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, 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.