Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Halabjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Halabjah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $582 in Halabjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $838 in Halabjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,095 in Halabjah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 190% more expensive than in Halabjah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Halabjah is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.83 IQD 5,018

106.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$18.82 IQD 24.6K

136.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

18.80%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.94 IQD 2,537

49.48%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.40 IQD 521

352.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.24 IQD 312

545.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.75 IQD 3,599

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.76 IQD 4,927

56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.59 IQD 769

133.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.78 IQD 1,023

214.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.52 IQD 1,988

-0.66%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.50 IQD 1,966

85.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$3.88 IQD 5,079

133.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$1.94 IQD 2,534

448.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$9.82 IQD 12.9K

48.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$0.74 IQD 975

436.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.05 IQD 1,374

31.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.74 IQD 970

210.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.74 IQD 963

172.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.69 IQD 905

202.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.71 IQD 929

129.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.66 IQD 865

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.70 IQD 916

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$1.86 IQD 2,432

116.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.94 IQD 2,538

-17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$0.98 IQD 1,277

206.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.39 IQD 514

202.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.51 IQD 1,977

6.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.50 IQD 1,967

42.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.33 IQD 3,057

265.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.68 IQD 891

98.53%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

49.22%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$9,618 IQD 12.6M

271.11%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$154 IQD 201.1K

-1.43%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

16.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$29.32 IQD 38.4K

10.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$23.30 IQD 30.5K

98.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.55 IQD 13.8K

-39.05%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$164 IQD 215.3K

407.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$3,480 IQD 4.6M

155.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

1058.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$39.55 IQD 51.8K

39.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$77.8 IQD 101.9K

75.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$50.2 IQD 65.8K

117.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.12

153.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Halabjah: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $19.00 in Halabjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $146 per month, with Halabjah 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

Medellin vs Halabjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Halabjah differ by about 190% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $582 including rent). Halabjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,530 in Medellin and $873 in Halabjah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $164 in Halabjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Halabjah – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $582 in Halabjah versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Halabjah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Halabjah 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 Halabjah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.