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: $1,555 in Medellin versus $566 in Halabjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Medellin versus $821 in Halabjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Medellin versus $1,075 in Halabjah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 175% more expensive than in Halabjah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 15% above, Halabjah is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$3.93 IQD 5,144

93.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$19.39 IQD 25.4K

130.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$7.51 IQD 9,831

23.04%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$1.88 IQD 2,463

56.91%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$0.36 IQD 473

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$0.24 IQD 312

462.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$2.61 IQD 3,416

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$3.90 IQD 5,110

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$0.58 IQD 760

146.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$0.80 IQD 1,044

198.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$1.58 IQD 2,072

1.27%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$1.50 IQD 1,967

92.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$3.93 IQD 5,151

147.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

$1.94 IQD 2,545

386.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

30.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$0.79 IQD 1,035

374.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

$1.11 IQD 1,458

30.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

$0.78 IQD 1,022

169.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

$0.73 IQD 951

191.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

$0.70 IQD 918

174.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

$0.69 IQD 903

121.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$0.68 IQD 888

60.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$0.64 IQD 836

84.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$1.86 IQD 2,441

103.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$13.45 IQD 17.6K

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

$1.95 IQD 2,549

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

$0.91 IQD 1,196

150.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$0.36 IQD 476

227.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

$1.52 IQD 1,985

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

$1.51 IQD 1,982

31.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

$2.35 IQD 3,078

235.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$0.61 IQD 802

111.48%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

41.08%

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

$9,681 IQD 12.7M

258.36%

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$150 IQD 196.8K

5.00%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

$11.60 IQD 15.2K

15.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$30.05 IQD 39.4K

-9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$22.66 IQD 29.7K

94.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

-40.67%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$168 IQD 219.9K

362.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

$3,485 IQD 4.6M

152.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$7.51 IQD 9,828

1001.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

$37.73 IQD 49.4K

48.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$73.0 IQD 95.6K

79.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

$47.90 IQD 62.7K

100.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.12

165.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Halabjah: September 28, 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 $285 vs $148 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 175% in total monthly costs ($1,555 vs $566 including rent). Halabjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,333 in Medellin and $849 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 $777 in Medellin versus $168 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 $566 in Halabjah versus $1,555 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 175% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.