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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $759 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,194 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,629 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 122% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sulaymaniyah is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.61 IQD 6,031

71.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$22.56 IQD 29.5K

97.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.95 IQD 9,096

33.67%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.36 IQD 3,091

22.88%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.46 IQD 603

293.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.23 IQD 302

573.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$4.55 IQD 5,952

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.32 IQD 3,044

153.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.36 IQD 1,780

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.97 IQD 1,265

152.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.91 IQD 2,507

-20.94%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.74 IQD 2,276

59.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.04 IQD 6,595

79.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.44 IQD 4,504

209.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

-5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.33 IQD 1,741

198.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.25 IQD 1,642

10.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.15 IQD 1,512

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.70 IQD 920

188.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.58 IQD 763

260.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.74 IQD 966

120.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.71 IQD 933

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.53 IQD 697

135.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.37 IQD 3,100

70.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

16.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.92 IQD 2,519

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.74 IQD 2,284

72.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.56 IQD 728

110.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

251.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.26 IQD 2,953

-28.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-4.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$5.20 IQD 6,808

63.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.65 IQD 856

107.69%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

36.18%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

86.11%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$102 IQD 133.2K

48.79%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

23.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

13.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$35.69 IQD 46.7K

29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$19.99 IQD 26.2K

-13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.48 IQD 9,793

-14.04%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$176 IQD 230.6K

374.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$2,882 IQD 3.8M

208.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

374.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$25.87 IQD 33.9K

113.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

212.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

182.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$228 IQD 298.0K

318.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$176 IQD 230.2K

279.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$514 IQD 672.5K

293.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$361 IQD 472.4K

218.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$827 IQD 1.1M

347.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$565 IQD 740.2K

180.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$571 IQD 747.4K

9.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.77

80.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $228 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 10% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $188 – 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 122%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,138 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $759 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 $759, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.