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: $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,043 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,338 in Al-musayyib versus $1,545 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,789 in Al-musayyib versus $2,046 in Erbil.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 15% less than in Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 33% lower, Erbil 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 IQD 7,189

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-30.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

56.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 IQD 9,792

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

-16.98%

Cappuccino

$2.99 IQD 3,911

$3.24 IQD 4,240

-7.72%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.49 IQD 640

-24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 244

$0.22 IQD 288

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 IQD 4,488

$1.96 IQD 2,562

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,683

$2.16 IQD 2,824

30.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 IQD 1,538

$1.31 IQD 1,718

-10.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,104

$0.79 IQD 1,034

6.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,975

$1.87 IQD 2,450

-19.25%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.95 IQD 2,557

-23.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,947

$7.26 IQD 9,502

-37.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 IQD 4,897

$4.69 IQD 6,144

-20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

-19.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,543

$1.15 IQD 1,502

2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.18 IQD 1,547

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,326

$1.13 IQD 1,480

-10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.75 IQD 982

-22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 773

$0.72 IQD 948

-18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.76 IQD 990

-22.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 712

$0.76 IQD 1,001

-28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.56 IQD 738

-33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,685

$2.66 IQD 3,486

-22.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

12.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.44 IQD 1,880

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,721

$1.94 IQD 2,538

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.59 IQD 767

-37.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

-9.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,122

$2.27 IQD 2,971

72.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,996

$2.32 IQD 3,033

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 IQD 9,960

$7.05 IQD 9,233

7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 755

$0.64 IQD 837

-9.38%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

5.43%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-3.02%

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

$180 IQD 235.5K

$101 IQD 132.5K

77.65%

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

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

44.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

37.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

-50.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

41.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 IQD 9,992

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

-32.18%

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

$167 IQD 218.1K

$269 IQD 351.6K

-37.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

7.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

-14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

-38.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

-20.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

-45.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.4K

$436 IQD 571.5K

-44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$275 IQD 360.4K

-34.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.9K

$739 IQD 968.0K

-21.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 IQD 448.0K

$496 IQD 649.8K

-31.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-musayyib and $436 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al-musayyib vs $23.00 in Erbil. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $194, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($887 vs $1,043 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,330 in Al-musayyib and $1,565 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-musayyib versus $436 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Al-musayyib 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 15% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,043 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 18% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.