Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $750 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.26 IQD 6,895

12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

22.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.01 IQD 9,182

2.71%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.64 IQD 3,461

-35.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.39 IQD 514

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.21 IQD 269

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.07 IQD 2,714

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.71 IQD 3,550

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.41 IQD 1,851

-24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.02 IQD 1,332

22.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.61 IQD 2,109

-13.66%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.78 IQD 2,329

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.10 IQD 7,998

-29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.56 IQD 4,667

64.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-36.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.17 IQD 1,532

91.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.29 IQD 1,694

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.27 IQD 1,662

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.73 IQD 957

87.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.61 IQD 798

85.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.67 IQD 879

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.59 IQD 777

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.45 IQD 590

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.94 IQD 2,536

20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

-4.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.51 IQD 1,975

-21.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.81 IQD 2,367

30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.55 IQD 715

43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

77.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-38.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-18.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.46 IQD 7,150

46.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.77 IQD 1,006

22.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-11.77%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

30.28%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$76.6 IQD 100.4K

9.61%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

-43.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

-8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

-34.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

12.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.47 IQD 9,788

-47.52%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$151 IQD 198.4K

102.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

69.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

147.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

27.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

128.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

194.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$240 IQD 315.0K

102.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$175 IQD 229.4K

110.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$572 IQD 749.7K

44.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$341 IQD 446.4K

110.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$810 IQD 1.1M

261.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$579 IQD 758.5K

142.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$580 IQD 759.7K

-5.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $240 in Sulaymaniyah. 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 6% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $184 – making Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,126 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sulaymaniyah, 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $750 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sulaymaniyah, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Sulaymaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sulaymaniyah. 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.