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: $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,017 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Al-musayyib versus $1,518 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,834 in Al-musayyib versus $2,019 in Erbil.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 14% less than in Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 35% lower, Erbil 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,889

$7.59 IQD 9,938

-30.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

$22.90 IQD 30.0K

60.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 IQD 9,828

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

-13.18%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,077

$3.25 IQD 4,260

-4.31%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.52 IQD 676

-30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 263

$0.20 IQD 261

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,518

$1.95 IQD 2,555

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,856

$2.04 IQD 2,675

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$1.32 IQD 1,725

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,093

$0.81 IQD 1,062

2.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,061

$1.80 IQD 2,357

-12.78%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.91 IQD 2,506

-17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,023

$7.50 IQD 9,816

-38.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,071

$4.82 IQD 6,315

-19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$14.10 IQD 18.5K

-17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.18 IQD 1,551

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,461

$1.15 IQD 1,500

-2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.14 IQD 1,494

-7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.80 IQD 1,045

-27.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.66 IQD 863

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.77 IQD 1,002

-23.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 784

$0.77 IQD 1,008

-22.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.55 IQD 721

-32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$2.74 IQD 3,594

-22.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,326

$1.37 IQD 1,794

29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,747

$2.00 IQD 2,619

5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.59 IQD 768

-33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

$34.99 IQD 45.8K

-10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,103

$2.25 IQD 2,942

73.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,933

$2.29 IQD 2,993

-35.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 IQD 9,907

$6.85 IQD 8,966

10.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 699

$0.64 IQD 839

-17.19%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

2.22%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$20.7K IQD 27.2M

-3.55%

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

$179 IQD 234.1K

$101 IQD 132.2K

77.07%

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

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

$17.35 IQD 22.7K

51.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

$30.25 IQD 39.6K

33.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

$72.1 IQD 94.4K

-48.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$11.54 IQD 15.1K

43.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,840

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-33.42%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$271 IQD 354.5K

-38.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

$3,274 IQD 4.3M

9.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

$32.30 IQD 42.3K

-12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

-37.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

$81.1 IQD 106.1K

-21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

$77.2 IQD 101.0K

-43.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.6K

$425 IQD 556.0K

-42.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 229.9K

$279 IQD 365.3K

-37.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 752.9K

$740 IQD 969.0K

-22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.8K

$491 IQD 643.3K

-30.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,098 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 IQD 845.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 IQD 773.3K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Erbil: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $425 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-musayyib vs $23.00 in Erbil. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $195, 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 16% in total monthly costs ($878 vs $1,017 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,317 in Al-musayyib and $1,525 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 $425 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib versus $271 in Erbil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,017 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 16% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.