Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Erbil: $1,096 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,685

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,096

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires 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 Buenos Aires and in Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $1,096 in Erbil.

Buenos Aires $1,685
Erbil $1,096

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,742 in Buenos Aires versus $1,634 in Erbil.

Buenos Aires $2,742
Erbil $1,634

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Buenos Aires versus $2,173 in Erbil.

Buenos Aires $3,799
Erbil $2,173

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 54% more expensive than in Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 26% above, Erbil is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 ARS 28.4K

$7.75 IQD 11.7K

141.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 ARS 97.8K

$42.93 IQD 64.9K

50.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 ARS 19.5K

$8.55 IQD 12.9K

50.64%

Cappuccino

$3.98 ARS 6,029

$3.92 IQD 5,918

1.53%

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

$2.05 ARS 3,103

$0.98 IQD 1,476

109.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,349

$0.42 IQD 635

269.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 ARS 5,830

$6.10 IQD 9,213

-37.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ARS 6,970

$4.68 IQD 7,074

-1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ARS 2,181

$1.23 IQD 1,866

17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 ARS 3,738

$0.82 IQD 1,244

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ARS 2,467

$1.74 IQD 2,626

-6.32%

Eggs

$2.89 ARS 4,385

$1.80 IQD 2,716

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

$8.03 IQD 12.1K

32.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$4.96 IQD 7,488

101.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

$14.57 IQD 22.0K

-5.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ARS 4,166

$1.09 IQD 1,642

152.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ARS 3,300

$1.11 IQD 1,679

96.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,205

$1.23 IQD 1,860

17.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 3,013

$0.76 IQD 1,151

161.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,885

$0.73 IQD 1,104

69.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,921

$0.73 IQD 1,100

73.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 ARS 2,575

$0.69 IQD 1,050

146.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ARS 2,617

$0.60 IQD 903

188.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ARS 6,337

$2.44 IQD 3,683

71.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 ARS 8,790

$12.42 IQD 18.8K

-53.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 3,163

$1.62 IQD 2,449

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ARS 4,198

$2.16 IQD 3,270

28.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,132

$0.59 IQD 896

27.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.15 ARS 41.2K

$42.79 IQD 64.7K

-36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ARS 2,451

$1.94 IQD 2,934

-16.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,481

$1.78 IQD 2,686

-44.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 ARS 11.7K

$6.34 IQD 9,572

21.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ARS 2,058

$0.68 IQD 1,029

100.00%

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

$28.0K ARS 42.5M

$17.7K IQD 26.7M

58.68%

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

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

$20.3K IQD 30.6M

70.44%

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

$216 ARS 326.9K

$131 IQD 197.2K

65.18%

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

$25.61 ARS 38.8K

$13.79 IQD 20.8K

85.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 ARS 47.6K

$27.61 IQD 41.7K

13.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 ARS 75.6K

$65.3 IQD 98.7K

-23.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 ARS 25.9K

$14.26 IQD 21.6K

19.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 ARS 15.8K

$11.35 IQD 17.2K

-8.11%

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

$466 ARS 706.7K

$326 IQD 493.1K

42.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,057 ARS 13.7M

$3,186 IQD 4.8M

184.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 ARS 185.2K

$31.25 IQD 47.2K

290.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.4 ARS 147.8K

$44.50 IQD 67.2K

118.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ARS 177.4K

$68.7 IQD 103.8K

70.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ARS 211.9K

$69.0 IQD 104.3K

102.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ARS 1.2M

$463 IQD 700.1K

64.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 ARS 766.1K

$293 IQD 442.5K

72.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 ARS 2.4M

$725 IQD 1.1M

120.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 ARS 1.8M

$439 IQD 662.8K

170.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 ARS 4.1M

$1,110 IQD 1.7M

141.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 ARS 2.8M

$645 IQD 975.2K

187.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 ARS 1.4M

$590 IQD 891.2K

61.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

2.53

2162.85%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$505 30.4%

Erbil

$293 27% 42% $212

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$284 17.1%

Erbil

$199 18.4% 30% $85

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$279 16.8%

Erbil

$180 16.6% 35.4% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$273 16.4%

Erbil

$172 15.9% 36.9% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$214 12.9%

Erbil

$96 8.9% 55.2% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3%

Erbil

$88 8.1% 24.5% $17

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

Erbil

$56 5.2% 52.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Buenos Aires and $463 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Buenos Aires vs $43.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $199 per month, with Erbil cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

11:27 11:27 AM

6 h ahead of Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 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 ARS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Buenos Aires Erbil 13,190 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
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

Buenos Aires vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Erbil differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,685 vs $1,096 including rent). Erbil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Buenos Aires, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $763 in Buenos Aires versus $463 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $466 in Buenos Aires versus $326 in Erbil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,096 in Erbil versus $1,685 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Erbil 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, Buenos Aires 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 Erbil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.