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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $749 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,184 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,619 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.41 IQD 7,088

10.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.04 IQD 9,215

5.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.58 IQD 3,381

-36.05%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.37 IQD 483

189.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.18 IQD 231

322.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.07 IQD 2,715

-16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.68 IQD 3,506

19.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.48 IQD 1,939

-29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.01 IQD 1,329

29.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.61 IQD 2,108

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.71 IQD 2,243

28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.09 IQD 7,980

-27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.42 IQD 4,483

66.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-38.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.23 IQD 1,605

90.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.29 IQD 1,685

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.32 IQD 1,734

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.70 IQD 913

95.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.63 IQD 824

82.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.64 IQD 835

84.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.56 IQD 728

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.48 IQD 629

79.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.87 IQD 2,443

20.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.56 IQD 2,049

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.83 IQD 2,400

35.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.55 IQD 721

43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

80.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-36.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$2.24 IQD 2,934

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$5.43 IQD 7,109

43.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.73 IQD 955

38.36%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-13.29%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

24.88%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$76.1 IQD 99.7K

6.51%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$16.53 IQD 21.7K

-42.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

-10.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

-34.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$17.13 IQD 22.4K

9.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-47.83%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$149 IQD 195.7K

110.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

70.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$23.67 IQD 31.0K

152.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

26.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

131.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$35.54 IQD 46.5K

195.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$239 IQD 313.4K

102.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$176 IQD 230.4K

107.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$574 IQD 751.0K

44.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$350 IQD 458.1K

108.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$816 IQD 1.1M

266.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$588 IQD 769.5K

123.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$574 IQD 752.3K

-4.13%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $239 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 4% 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 $26.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $183 – 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 37%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,123 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 $26.00 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $749 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 $749, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.