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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $858 in Sinjar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,324 in Sinjar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,790 in Sinjar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Sinjar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sinjar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sinjar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-21.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

46.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

-18.76%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$3.17 IQD 4,147

-47.63%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.52 IQD 683

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.22 IQD 288

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$2.03 IQD 2,656

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$2.15 IQD 2,819

47.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.34 IQD 1,754

-17.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$0.84 IQD 1,102

55.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.88 IQD 2,457

-26.60%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.96 IQD 2,568

13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$7.50 IQD 9,817

-42.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$4.76 IQD 6,237

21.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

-36.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.15 IQD 1,509

96.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.20 IQD 1,567

-7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$1.18 IQD 1,549

23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$0.76 IQD 991

80.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.72 IQD 944

54.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.71 IQD 934

63.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.76 IQD 996

17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.56 IQD 728

55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$2.71 IQD 3,554

-13.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$7.44 IQD 9,746

45.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.43 IQD 1,868

-16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.94 IQD 2,540

27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.36 IQD 476

119.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$30.77 IQD 40.3K

32.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$2.26 IQD 2,963

-37.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$2.33 IQD 3,051

-18.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.70 IQD 8,771

14.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$0.69 IQD 910

40.58%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

-4.48%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

26.95%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

-17.89%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$17.92 IQD 23.5K

-46.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$29.42 IQD 38.5K

-17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$36.11 IQD 47.3K

-27.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

11.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

-65.97%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$272 IQD 356.0K

11.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$3,300 IQD 4.3M

78.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$33.41 IQD 43.7K

75.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$48.81 IQD 63.9K

-33.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$78.2 IQD 102.4K

38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$240 IQD 314.5K

97.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$176 IQD 231.1K

110.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$586 IQD 766.7K

44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$348 IQD 456.0K

105.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$233 IQD 305.4K

132.14%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 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 132% 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 in Medellin versus $23 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 18%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,288 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 $1,014 in Medellin and $858 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 $858, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.