Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sinjar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sinjar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $875 in Sinjar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,353 in Sinjar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,832 in Sinjar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Sinjar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sinjar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sinjar 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$7.63 IQD 9,980

-22.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$23.24 IQD 30.4K

43.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$8.59 IQD 11.2K

-15.83%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$3.15 IQD 4,120

-48.25%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.52 IQD 680

109.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.22 IQD 288

231.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.92 IQD 2,516

-9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.14 IQD 2,798

50.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.31 IQD 1,719

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.86 IQD 1,131

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.79 IQD 2,340

-26.26%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.98 IQD 2,584

14.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$7.49 IQD 9,791

-41.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.67 IQD 6,103

25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$14.33 IQD 18.7K

-39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.18 IQD 1,545

90.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.14 IQD 1,486

-6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.14 IQD 1,490

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$0.77 IQD 1,005

84.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.71 IQD 935

64.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.70 IQD 915

67.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.78 IQD 1,017

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.56 IQD 739

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$2.71 IQD 3,544

-16.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.43 IQD 1,864

-20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.00 IQD 2,615

19.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.40 IQD 519

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

33.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$2.37 IQD 3,098

-40.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$2.21 IQD 2,896

-14.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$7.00 IQD 9,156

10.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.69 IQD 904

46.38%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

-8.99%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

27.24%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$103 IQD 134.1K

-18.41%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

-47.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$30.28 IQD 39.6K

-20.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$37.34 IQD 48.8K

-32.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$16.88 IQD 22.1K

13.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

-63.68%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$269 IQD 351.3K

16.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$3,305 IQD 4.3M

81.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$32.90 IQD 43.0K

76.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$49.60 IQD 64.9K

-34.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$82.3 IQD 107.7K

21.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

41.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$240 IQD 314.4K

100.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$178 IQD 232.8K

113.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$585 IQD 765.5K

43.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$339 IQD 442.8K

113.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$229 IQD 299.0K

136.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $240 in Sinjar. 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 137% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Sinjar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $187 – making Sinjar 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 Sinjar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,312 in Sinjar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Sinjar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $875 in Sinjar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sinjar, where all-in costs run around $875, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sinjar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sinjar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sinjar. 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.