Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-miqdadiyah and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-miqdadiyah and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $896 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,034 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,348 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,548 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $2,061 in Erbil.

Living in Al-miqdadiyah costs roughly 13% less than in Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-miqdadiyah 33% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,882

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 IQD 30.3K

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 IQD 11.8K

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,259

$3.13 IQD 4,096

3.83%

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

$0.49 IQD 636

$0.49 IQD 640

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.20 IQD 261

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,551

$2.00 IQD 2,624

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,701

$2.14 IQD 2,797

-3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 IQD 1,135

$0.84 IQD 1,103

3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.80 IQD 2,355

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,466

$1.98 IQD 2,599

-5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 IQD 9,794

$7.54 IQD 9,879

-0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,032

$4.80 IQD 6,282

-3.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 IQD 18.4K

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,553

$1.14 IQD 1,491

4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,556

$1.20 IQD 1,567

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,554

$1.19 IQD 1,561

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,052

$0.76 IQD 994

5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$0.70 IQD 918

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 909

$0.72 IQD 938

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 IQD 939

$0.78 IQD 1,018

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 690

$0.53 IQD 688

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 IQD 3,568

$2.63 IQD 3,449

3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 IQD 16.1K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,867

$1.45 IQD 1,899

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 IQD 2,655

$2.01 IQD 2,633

1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.54 IQD 709

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.57 IQD 41.3K

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-7.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,952

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,959

$2.20 IQD 2,885

2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,081

$6.87 IQD 8,999

0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 IQD 891

$0.70 IQD 911

-2.86%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

0.99%

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-0.95%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

-0.04%

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

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

-1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 IQD 38.4K

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

0.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 IQD 48.8K

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-48.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

42.31%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-1.64%

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

$264 IQD 345.2K

$269 IQD 352.1K

-1.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,234 IQD 4.2M

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

-1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

-0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

-0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.8K

$426 IQD 557.6K

-43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$278 IQD 364.4K

-35.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 IQD 773.7K

$726 IQD 951.1K

-18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 451.1K

$485 IQD 635.3K

-28.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

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-miqdadiyah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-miqdadiyah and $426 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Al-miqdadiyah vs $23.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $197 per month, with Al-miqdadiyah 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

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

Al-miqdadiyah and Erbil differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($896 vs $1,034 including rent). Al-miqdadiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,344 in Al-miqdadiyah and $1,551 in Erbil to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $426 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $269 in Erbil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $896 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-miqdadiyah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.