Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $810 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,522 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,718 per month in Al Hillah vs $2,010 in Erbil, rent included.

Al Hillah is about 22% cheaper than Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al Hillah and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 39% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 IQD 7,132

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-29.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 IQD 8,019

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

-31.08%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,005

$3.20 IQD 4,189

-4.38%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.48 IQD 630

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.20 IQD 262

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,833

$1.93 IQD 2,523

51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,793

$2.14 IQD 2,803

35.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,800

$1.31 IQD 1,719

4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 963

$0.85 IQD 1,108

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$1.86 IQD 2,439

-11.29%

Eggs

$1.80 IQD 2,359

$1.98 IQD 2,590

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 IQD 5,874

$7.23 IQD 9,474

-37.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,290

$4.72 IQD 6,184

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

-1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.19 IQD 1,563

3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,564

$1.15 IQD 1,505

3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,368

$1.15 IQD 1,502

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 899

$0.81 IQD 1,057

-14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 863

$0.68 IQD 888

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.75 IQD 980

-16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 778

$0.73 IQD 952

-19.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.57 IQD 742

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$2.62 IQD 3,428

-27.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 IQD 18.1K

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,415

$1.39 IQD 1,824

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,840

$1.97 IQD 2,579

10.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.59 IQD 776

-32.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

86.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,092

$2.25 IQD 2,942

4.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,031

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 IQD 4,414

$6.75 IQD 8,845

-50.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 703

$0.65 IQD 849

-16.92%

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

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-10.21%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

-2.72%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$102 IQD 133.2K

-25.43%

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

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

-13.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.00 IQD 51.1K

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

31.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

-68.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

66.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

-31.90%

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

$95.6 IQD 125.2K

$263 IQD 343.7K

-63.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$779 IQD 1.0M

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

-76.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.22 IQD 35.6K

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

-18.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.73 IQD 36.3K

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

-44.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 IQD 80.7K

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

-24.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

-42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 IQD 476.8K

$429 IQD 562.2K

-15.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 IQD 256.8K

$275 IQD 360.3K

-28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 IQD 874.0K

$732 IQD 958.5K

-8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 IQD 410.0K

$495 IQD 647.8K

-36.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 IQD 2.3M

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 IQD 713.5K

$660 IQD 864.4K

-17.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 IQD 677.5K

$581 IQD 760.9K

-10.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

14.33

-60.43%

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

Last update for Al Hillah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Al Hillah versus $429 in Erbil. 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 12% higher in Erbil, 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 $31.00 in Al Hillah versus $23.00 in Erbil. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Al Hillah vs $195 in Erbil – so Al Hillah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Al Hillah vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,215 per month in Al Hillah and $1,551 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hillah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.6 per month in Al Hillah and $263 in Erbil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $810 in Al Hillah and $1,034 in Erbil, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – 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 Al Hillah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.