Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kirkuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirkuk: $545 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Kirkuk
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Kirkuk Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Kirkuk

🇮🇶 Iraq

$545

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kirkuk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kirkuk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $545 in Kirkuk.

Medellin $1,639
Kirkuk $545

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $871 in Kirkuk.

Medellin $2,413
Kirkuk $871

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $1,197 in Kirkuk.

Medellin $3,186
Kirkuk $1,197

Living in Medellin is roughly 201% more expensive than in Kirkuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Kirkuk is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$3.55 IQD 5,360

127.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.7K

$23.20 IQD 35.1K

102.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.6K

$5.25 IQD 7,928

80.95%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,722

$2.35 IQD 3,558

28.09%

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

$1.80 COP 5,801

$0.38 IQD 576

373.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,554

$0.19 IQD 283

642.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

$2.71 IQD 4,102

17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.5K

$3.32 IQD 5,010

73.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,869

$0.97 IQD 1,471

55.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,667

$0.57 IQD 858

317.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,712

$1.37 IQD 2,068

29.20%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,320

$1.27 IQD 1,913

127.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$3.37 IQD 5,090

202.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.8K

$3.22 IQD 4,871

206.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.1K

$11.21 IQD 16.9K

24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$0.74 IQD 1,121

436.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,005

$0.79 IQD 1,196

96.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,039

$0.86 IQD 1,294

153.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,041

$0.64 IQD 964

240.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,328

$0.49 IQD 736

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,125

$0.48 IQD 722

231.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,694

$0.56 IQD 844

105.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,009

$0.35 IQD 523

254.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$1.67 IQD 2,521

137.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.1K

$11.67 IQD 17.6K

17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,352

$1.28 IQD 1,937

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,281

$1.64 IQD 2,472

37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,766

$0.35 IQD 522

234.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.5K

$19.84 IQD 30.0K

289.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,089

$1.93 IQD 2,914

-34.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,603

$1.28 IQD 1,940

60.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$6.62 IQD 10.0K

29.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,343

$0.48 IQD 726

181.25%

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

$16.2K IQD 24.5M

110.00%

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

$34.7K COP 111.8M

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

111.57%

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

$170 COP 547.0K

$51.8 IQD 78.3K

227.26%

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

$19.86 IQD 30.0K

-31.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.5K

$38.46 IQD 58.1K

-27.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 140.9K

$9.62 IQD 14.5K

354.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$9.83 IQD 14.8K

-29.70%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$147 IQD 222.9K

440.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$3,309 IQD 5.0M

175.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.2K

$25.85 IQD 39.1K

227.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 186.9K

$16.19 IQD 24.5K

258.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.2K

$58.8 IQD 88.8K

129.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.6K

$29.49 IQD 44.6K

231.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$167 IQD 252.8K

621.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$80.1 IQD 121.1K

700.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$195 IQD 294.5K

940.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$198 IQD 298.5K

412.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.4M

$501 IQD 757.5K

731.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$262 IQD 395.8K

629.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$387 IQD 584.6K

69.86%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Kirkuk

$80 14.7% 87.5% $561

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Kirkuk

$143 26.2% 51.9% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Kirkuk

$110 20.2% 47.9% $101

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Kirkuk

$95 17.4% 44.1% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Kirkuk

$59 10.8% 65.3% $110

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Kirkuk

$30 5.4% 68.4% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Kirkuk

$29 5.4% 49.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $167 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $23 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $143 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇮🇶 Kirkuk

🕒 Local time

15:05 3:05 PM

23:05 11:05 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

850,787

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Kirkuk 12,230 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Kirkuk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is about 67% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $167 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $147 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $545 in Kirkuk versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk 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 Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.