Cost of Living Comparison Between Aalst and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Aalst and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,226 in Aalst versus $1,019 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,176 in Aalst versus $1,524 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,127 in Aalst versus $2,029 in Erbil.

Living in Aalst is roughly 118% more expensive than Erbil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aalst is 66% above, Erbil is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.83 €19.50

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

193.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €87.7

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

346.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 €10.80

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

40.91%

Cappuccino

$4.19 €3.58

$3.25 IQD 4,251

28.92%

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

$3.49 €2.98

$0.48 IQD 630

627.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.58

$0.22 IQD 289

1272.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 €4.77

$2.01 IQD 2,632

177.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.87

$2.04 IQD 2,671

122.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.32 IQD 1,726

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 €2.47

$0.85 IQD 1,115

240.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.27

$1.81 IQD 2,368

46.96%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.42

$1.98 IQD 2,589

102.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 €13.93

$7.44 IQD 9,743

119.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 €9.92

$4.75 IQD 6,228

144.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.89 €16.14

$13.99 IQD 18.3K

35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.46

$1.15 IQD 1,509

151.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.10

$1.16 IQD 1,513

112.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €1.99

$1.13 IQD 1,482

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.81

$0.81 IQD 1,061

306.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.31

$0.71 IQD 935

281.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.07

$0.76 IQD 996

218.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.24

$0.76 IQD 1,001

92.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.71

$0.53 IQD 690

56.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.53 €10.70

$2.76 IQD 3,609

353.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 €7.85

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

-25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.42 IQD 1,862

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.00 IQD 2,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.48

$0.56 IQD 727

419.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €48.70

$34.51 IQD 45.2K

65.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 €5.01

$2.28 IQD 2,991

157.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.01

$2.29 IQD 2,996

3.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 €30.06

$6.92 IQD 9,058

408.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.64

$0.70 IQD 910

172.86%

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

$35.0K €29.9K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

83.76%

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

$33.0K €28.2K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

59.07%

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

$203 €173

$100 IQD 131.3K

102.08%

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

$21.25 €18.15

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

20.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.18

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

94.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 €32.41

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

-48.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 €14.38

$11.82 IQD 15.5K

42.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 €12.95

$11.57 IQD 15.2K

31.03%

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

$625 €534

$264 IQD 345.6K

136.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.4K

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

306.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.6

$32.96 IQD 43.2K

225.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.73 €41.61

$49.58 IQD 64.9K

-1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €97.3

$83.8 IQD 109.7K

36.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €133

$76.7 IQD 100.5K

102.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 €844

$430 IQD 562.7K

130.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 €765

$281 IQD 367.6K

219.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 €1,173

$716 IQD 938.3K

91.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 €924

$486 IQD 637.1K

122.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,270 €2,793

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

194.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,066 €2,618

$652 IQD 853.9K

370.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,764 €2,360

$576 IQD 754.0K

380.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

14.33

-77.18%

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

Last update for Aalst: April 25, 2026

Last update for Erbil: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $989 in Aalst and $430 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aalst pays 380% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $103 in Aalst vs $23.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $195 per month, with Erbil cheaper across the board.

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

Aalst vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aalst and Erbil differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($2,226 vs $1,019 including rent). Erbil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aalst pays 380% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $989 in Aalst versus $430 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Erbil – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $103 in Aalst. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,226 per month in Aalst versus $1,019 in Erbil – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,019 in Erbil versus $2,226 in Aalst, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Aalst. The gap between the two cities makes Erbil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aalst and Erbil are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Erbil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Aalst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.