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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-18.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-4.56%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$1.63 COP 5,687

57.06%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.09 COP 3,821

-66.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.73 COP 2,548

-71.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$1.74 COP 6,065

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-18.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.05 COP 3,662

35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$1.29 COP 4,515

-24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.32 COP 4,617

25.76%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$2.27 COP 7,927

-22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$4.35 COP 15.2K

33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-41.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

66.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$2.25 COP 7,844

-45.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.07 COP 3,733

16.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$1.52 COP 5,322

-17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$1.42 COP 4,964

-50.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$1.17 COP 4,084

-46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$1.17 COP 4,077

-45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.89 COP 3,096

-39.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.90 COP 3,146

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$2.25 COP 7,837

-16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.14 COP 3,977

38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.38 COP 8,301

-26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.84 COP 2,916

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-45.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$1.41 COP 4,912

59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.90 COP 6,634

17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-30.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$1.01 COP 3,509

-25.74%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

17.82%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-22.10%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-9.25%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

72.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

56.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-11.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

91.46%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-40.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-58.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-23.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-56.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-67.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-52.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

-32.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$723 COP 2.5M

-52.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-71.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-52.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

3.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.99%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $482 in Medellin. 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $190 – 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

Sulaymaniyah vs Medellin: 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 $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,017 in Medellin. 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 $744, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.