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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Al Kufah versus $1,034 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,043 in Al Kufah versus $1,548 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Al Kufah versus $2,061 in Erbil.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 37% less than in Erbil, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kufah 51% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 IQD 7,142

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-29.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 IQD 47.6K

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

59.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 IQD 9,815

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-16.48%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,990

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-2.56%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.49 IQD 640

-20.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 266

$0.20 IQD 261

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 IQD 4,375

$2.00 IQD 2,624

67.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,711

$2.14 IQD 2,797

32.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,454

$1.32 IQD 1,730

-15.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.84 IQD 1,103

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 IQD 2,135

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-9.44%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,283

$1.98 IQD 2,599

-12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.24 IQD 2,934

$7.54 IQD 9,879

-70.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 IQD 4,038

$4.80 IQD 6,282

-35.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 IQD 13.3K

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-28.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.52 IQD 683

$1.14 IQD 1,491

-54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,209

$1.20 IQD 1,567

-23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$1.19 IQD 1,561

-40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 646

$0.76 IQD 994

-35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 IQD 527

$0.70 IQD 918

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 401

$0.72 IQD 938

-56.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 884

$0.78 IQD 1,018

-12.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 545

$0.53 IQD 688

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,566

$2.63 IQD 3,449

-25.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

9.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 IQD 2,388

$1.45 IQD 1,899

25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IQD 2,771

$2.01 IQD 2,633

5.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 488

$0.54 IQD 709

-31.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-8.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,068

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-0.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,004

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-30.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$6.87 IQD 8,999

12.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.70 IQD 911

-22.86%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

4.91%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-5.06%

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

$40.32 IQD 52.8K

$102 IQD 134.1K

-60.64%

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

$26.29 IQD 34.4K

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

46.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

-22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-65.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

40.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,724

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-36.06%

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

$87.4 IQD 114.4K

$269 IQD 352.1K

-67.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,386 IQD 3.1M

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

-27.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.39 IQD 28.0K

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

-34.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-36.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.88 IQD 26.0K

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

-75.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

-63.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 IQD 275.6K

$426 IQD 557.6K

-50.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.0K

$278 IQD 364.4K

-34.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 IQD 555.4K

$726 IQD 951.1K

-41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 IQD 379.6K

$485 IQD 635.3K

-40.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,193 IQD 4.2M

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

184.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,688 IQD 2.2M

$658 IQD 862.2K

156.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 IQD 1.0M

$584 IQD 765.0K

32.79%

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 Kufah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Al Kufah and $426 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al Kufah vs $23.00 in Erbil. Groceries flip the comparison at $148 vs $197, with Al Kufah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kufah vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Kufah pays 33% 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: $210 in Al Kufah versus $426 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $23.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $656 per month in Al Kufah versus $1,034 in Erbil – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Al Kufah versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah 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, Al Kufah 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 Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.