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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,101 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,630 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,158 in Erbil, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Erbil is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

4.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

7.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

17.46%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.84 IQD 5,027

-18.49%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.03 IQD 1,353

85.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.44 IQD 580

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-48.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.71 IQD 6,166

22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.27 IQD 1,657

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.83 IQD 1,083

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.68 IQD 2,197

5.36%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.79 IQD 2,345

65.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$8.06 IQD 10.6K

24.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$5.78 IQD 7,574

75.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

-3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.13 IQD 1,483

266.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.10 IQD 1,443

46.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.23 IQD 1,612

82.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.82 IQD 1,068

174.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.70 IQD 911

191.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.69 IQD 905

123.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.74 IQD 969

58.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.55 IQD 723

138.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.52 IQD 3,294

54.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.69 IQD 2,217

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.09 IQD 2,735

37.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.59 IQD 772

106.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$43.81 IQD 57.4K

83.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.94 IQD 2,544

-32.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.82 IQD 2,381

20.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.56 IQD 8,588

32.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.67 IQD 882

104.48%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

51.90%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

77.83%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$128 IQD 167.0K

39.05%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$66.0 IQD 86.4K

-31.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

17.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

-43.02%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$309 IQD 405.1K

162.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

192.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

185.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

31.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$69.3 IQD 90.7K

99.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$67.4 IQD 88.3K

51.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$460 IQD 602.5K

130.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$297 IQD 389.4K

122.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$740 IQD 969.5K

155.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$432 IQD 566.1K

137.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

282.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$665 IQD 870.8K

151.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$614 IQD 803.9K

10.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.53

332.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Erbil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $460 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 10% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $204 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,652 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 49% more in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $44.00 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 Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – 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 Erbil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.