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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $893 in Al-musayyib versus $1,027 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Al-musayyib versus $1,517 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,774 in Al-musayyib versus $2,008 in Erbil.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 34% lower, Erbil 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 IQD 6,867

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-33.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

$22.86 IQD 29.9K

61.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$8.58 IQD 11.2K

-12.00%

Cappuccino

$3.00 IQD 3,928

$3.26 IQD 4,266

-7.98%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.51 IQD 674

-27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 270

$0.20 IQD 262

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,520

$1.95 IQD 2,547

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,742

$2.16 IQD 2,824

32.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.33 IQD 1,745

-15.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$0.80 IQD 1,044

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.80 IQD 2,359

-12.78%

Eggs

$1.50 IQD 1,967

$1.92 IQD 2,508

-21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,742

$7.49 IQD 9,801

-41.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 IQD 5,163

$4.85 IQD 6,345

-18.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

$14.32 IQD 18.8K

-20.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,469

$1.19 IQD 1,554

-5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,477

$1.19 IQD 1,564

-5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-15.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.81 IQD 1,059

-30.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.67 IQD 880

-11.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.75 IQD 982

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.74 IQD 968

-25.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.57 IQD 742

-35.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$2.71 IQD 3,545

-23.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$12.53 IQD 16.4K

10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,302

$1.45 IQD 1,899

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,826

$2.03 IQD 2,654

6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.59 IQD 778

-32.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

$35.17 IQD 46.0K

-10.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 IQD 4,918

$2.36 IQD 3,096

59.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,012

$2.31 IQD 3,019

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 IQD 9,779

$6.79 IQD 8,893

10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 746

$0.65 IQD 845

-12.31%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

4.60%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-4.21%

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

$179 IQD 234.4K

$98.8 IQD 129.4K

81.20%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$17.50 IQD 22.9K

46.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

31.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

$73.9 IQD 96.7K

-50.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

$11.75 IQD 15.4K

44.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$11.31 IQD 14.8K

-31.12%

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

$166 IQD 217.5K

$262 IQD 343.0K

-36.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

$3,323 IQD 4.4M

6.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

$33.22 IQD 43.5K

-15.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

$48.02 IQD 62.9K

-36.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

$81.5 IQD 106.8K

-21.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$77.1 IQD 100.9K

-43.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.5K

$430 IQD 562.7K

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.6K

$276 IQD 361.4K

-35.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.6K

$724 IQD 947.3K

-19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.0K

$496 IQD 649.5K

-31.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 854.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 IQD 740.9K

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-musayyib: April 12, 2026

Last update for Erbil: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $430 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Al-musayyib vs $23 in Erbil. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $197, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-musayyib and Erbil differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($893 vs $1,027 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,340 in Al-musayyib and $1,541 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: $244 in Al-musayyib versus $430 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib versus $262 in Erbil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $893 in Al-musayyib versus $1,027 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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-musayyib 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-musayyib 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.