Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Erbil: $1,096 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
Learn more

Erbil Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,096

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Erbil

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Budapest and in Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $1,096 in Erbil, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Erbil $1,096

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $1,634 in Erbil, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Erbil $1,634

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $2,173 in Erbil, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Erbil $2,173

Budapest costs about 48% more than Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Erbil is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$7.75 IQD 11.7K

80.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$42.93 IQD 64.9K

40.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$8.55 IQD 12.9K

16.49%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$3.92 IQD 5,918

-13.78%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$0.98 IQD 1,476

117.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.42 IQD 635

345.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$6.10 IQD 9,213

-38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$4.68 IQD 7,074

-23.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$1.23 IQD 1,866

-8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$0.82 IQD 1,244

124.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$1.74 IQD 2,626

37.36%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$1.80 IQD 2,716

112.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$8.03 IQD 12.1K

41.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$4.96 IQD 7,488

35.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$14.57 IQD 22.0K

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$1.09 IQD 1,642

68.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.11 IQD 1,679

81.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$1.23 IQD 1,860

91.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$0.76 IQD 1,151

396.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$0.73 IQD 1,104

31.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$0.73 IQD 1,100

41.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$0.69 IQD 1,050

126.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.60 IQD 903

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$2.44 IQD 3,683

226.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$12.42 IQD 18.8K

-51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$1.62 IQD 2,449

-19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$2.16 IQD 3,270

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$0.59 IQD 896

154.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$42.79 IQD 64.7K

-35.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$1.94 IQD 2,934

70.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.78 IQD 2,686

-26.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$6.34 IQD 9,572

211.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.68 IQD 1,029

166.18%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$17.7K IQD 26.7M

66.14%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$20.3K IQD 30.6M

68.35%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$131 IQD 197.2K

30.21%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$13.79 IQD 20.8K

73.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$27.61 IQD 41.7K

-15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$65.3 IQD 98.7K

1.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$14.26 IQD 21.6K

34.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$11.35 IQD 17.2K

-16.12%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$326 IQD 493.1K

64.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$3,186 IQD 4.8M

421.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$31.25 IQD 47.2K

224.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$44.50 IQD 67.2K

-3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$68.7 IQD 103.8K

64.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$69.0 IQD 104.3K

71.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$463 IQD 700.1K

73.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$293 IQD 442.5K

114.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$725 IQD 1.1M

113.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$439 IQD 662.8K

166.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$1,110 IQD 1.7M

406.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$645 IQD 975.2K

514.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$590 IQD 891.2K

175.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

2.53

154.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Erbil

$293 27% 53.5% $336

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Erbil

$199 18.4% 22.8% $59

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Erbil

$180 16.6% 19.7% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Erbil

$172 15.9% 20.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Erbil

$96 8.9% 43.2% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Erbil

$88 8.1% 3.2% $2.8

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Erbil

$56 5.2% 28.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $463 in Erbil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 176% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Budapest versus $43.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $199 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

05:09 5:09 AM

06:09 6:09 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,695 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Erbil 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Erbil

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Budapest vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 48%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $1,644 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Erbil. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $326 in Erbil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Erbil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.