Cost of Living Comparison Between Bytom and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Bytom and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Bytom versus $1,095 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Bytom versus $1,654 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Bytom versus $2,213 in Erbil.

Living in Bytom is roughly 39% more expensive than in Erbil, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bytom is 11% above, Erbil is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 zł 40.07

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

39.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.93 zł 142

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

-15.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 zł 34.73

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

13.15%

Cappuccino

$3.73 zł 13.93

$3.78 IQD 4,955

-1.32%

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

$2.32 zł 8.69

$1.02 IQD 1,338

127.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 zł 7.11

$0.41 IQD 541

363.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 zł 13.73

$5.97 IQD 7,823

-38.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 zł 18.26

$4.45 IQD 5,829

9.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.10

$1.27 IQD 1,669

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 zł 4.72

$0.79 IQD 1,033

59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 zł 5.93

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-6.47%

Eggs

$3.36 zł 12.55

$1.76 IQD 2,307

90.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 zł 35.76

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

15.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 zł 22.04

$5.54 IQD 7,252

6.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 zł 46.14

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 zł 4.22

$1.10 IQD 1,446

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 zł 6.28

$1.15 IQD 1,503

46.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 zł 6.19

$1.22 IQD 1,599

36.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 zł 9.98

$0.81 IQD 1,061

229.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 zł 3.53

$0.74 IQD 974

27.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 zł 3.24

$0.69 IQD 901

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.88

$0.79 IQD 1,034

64.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 zł 2.59

$0.58 IQD 761

18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 zł 21.74

$2.51 IQD 3,293

131.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 zł 25.57

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

-45.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 zł 4.09

$1.68 IQD 2,196

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 zł 6.43

$2.06 IQD 2,693

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 zł 4.86

$0.60 IQD 781

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.26 zł 136

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

-17.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 zł 6.93

$1.93 IQD 2,533

-4.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 zł 2.89

$1.74 IQD 2,279

-55.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 zł 39.59

$6.51 IQD 8,521

62.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 zł 6.03

$0.67 IQD 876

140.30%

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

$31.8K zł 118.8K

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

77.07%

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

$29.2K zł 109.0K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

47.97%

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

$348 zł 1,299

$130 IQD 170.4K

166.99%

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

$8.37 zł 31.28

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

-40.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 zł 65.8

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

-36.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 zł 147

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

-39.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.83 zł 92.8

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

71.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 zł 27.88

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

-33.57%

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

$500 zł 1,868

$312 IQD 409.1K

59.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K zł 47.0K

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

308.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 zł 267

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

129.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.97 zł 123

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

-26.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 zł 351

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

37.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 zł 359

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 zł 2,049

$473 IQD 619.0K

15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$519 zł 1,939

$287 IQD 375.5K

80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 zł 3,913

$732 IQD 958.7K

42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 zł 3,217

$426 IQD 558.4K

101.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,053 zł 11.4K

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

173.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,374 zł 8,874

$643 IQD 841.7K

269.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.17

2.53

183.40%

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

Last update for Bytom: August 30, 2026

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Bytom and $473 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Bytom vs $45.00 in Erbil. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $204, with Erbil 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

Bytom vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Bytom. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Erbil the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,284 in Bytom and $1,643 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: $548 in Bytom versus $473 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,523 per month in Bytom versus $1,095 in Erbil – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Erbil runs roughly 21% less than in Bytom. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,523 in Bytom, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Bytom. 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, Bytom 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 39% less than in Bytom. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.