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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $1,581 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $2,120 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 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,893

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-11.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 IQD 9,180

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-2.64%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,461

$1.70 COP 6,186

55.29%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$1.10 COP 3,996

-64.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.72 COP 2,625

-70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,713

$1.67 COP 6,067

23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,549

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$1.06 COP 3,837

33.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$1.25 COP 4,531

-18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,108

$1.39 COP 5,060

15.83%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,328

$2.26 COP 8,229

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 IQD 7,996

$4.33 COP 15.8K

40.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,666

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

58.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$2.24 COP 8,159

-47.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,693

$1.08 COP 3,911

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.53 COP 5,563

-16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 957

$1.37 COP 4,987

-46.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$1.13 COP 4,109

-46.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$1.12 COP 4,067

-40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.85 COP 3,080

-30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.91 COP 3,305

-50.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$2.33 COP 8,477

-16.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,974

$1.19 COP 4,342

26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,367

$2.37 COP 8,617

-23.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.79 COP 2,859

-30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-43.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$1.44 COP 5,223

63.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,053

$1.91 COP 6,952

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 IQD 7,149

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-31.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 IQD 1,005

$0.94 COP 3,410

-18.09%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

13.34%

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

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-23.24%

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

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-8.77%

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

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

76.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

8.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

53.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,786

$3.92 COP 14.2K

90.56%

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

$151 IQD 198.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

-50.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-41.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-59.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-56.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$107 COP 389.7K

-66.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 315.0K

$487 COP 1.8M

-50.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.3K

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 749.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

-30.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.3K

$716 COP 2.6M

-52.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-72.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-58.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

6.30%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Sulaymaniyah versus $487 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 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 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 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 $1,126 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,550 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 $750 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,034 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 $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.