Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,402 in Cartagena versus $1,043 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Cartagena versus $1,545 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Cartagena versus $2,046 in Erbil.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 34% more expensive than in Erbil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 5% above, Erbil is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.13 €12.23

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

80.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 €50.7

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

153.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 €7.00

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

-10.32%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.21

$3.24 IQD 4,240

-21.30%

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

$2.39 €2.07

$0.49 IQD 640

387.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.78

$0.22 IQD 288

831.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.09

$1.96 IQD 2,562

82.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €2.97

$2.16 IQD 2,824

58.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.31 IQD 1,718

-13.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 €0.87

$0.79 IQD 1,034

26.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.87 IQD 2,450

-11.23%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.41

$1.95 IQD 2,557

43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 €9.72

$7.26 IQD 9,502

54.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 €7.20

$4.69 IQD 6,144

77.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 €12.25

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.15 IQD 1,502

106.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.18 IQD 1,547

57.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.13 IQD 1,480

22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.75 IQD 982

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$0.72 IQD 948

80.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 €0.96

$0.76 IQD 990

44.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.76 IQD 1,001

44.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 €0.45

$0.56 IQD 738

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.93

$2.66 IQD 3,486

114.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 €5.34

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

-49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.44 IQD 1,880

-22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.94 IQD 2,538

-33.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.59 IQD 767

130.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 €10.07

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

-66.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.27 IQD 2,971

56.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.04

$2.32 IQD 3,033

-48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 €21.33

$7.05 IQD 9,233

249.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.64 IQD 837

179.69%

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

$31.2K €27.0K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

64.75%

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

$31.7K €27.4K

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

53.88%

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

$144 €124

$101 IQD 132.5K

41.78%

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

$13.48 €11.68

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

-24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 €26.35

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 €33.50

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

-47.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.93 €12.93

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

26.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 €7.06

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

-27.56%

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

$426 €369

$269 IQD 351.6K

58.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,829 €2,450

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

-15.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.46 €39.37

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

38.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.91 €27.63

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

-35.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.71 €39.58

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

-43.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 €65.9

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

-2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 €657

$436 IQD 571.5K

73.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 €542

$275 IQD 360.4K

127.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 €791

$739 IQD 968.0K

23.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 €658

$496 IQD 649.8K

53.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,792 €1,552

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

64.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 €1,271

$653 IQD 855.1K

124.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,752 €1,517

$580 IQD 759.9K

201.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.44

14.33

-75.99%

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

Last update for Cartagena: July 28, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Cartagena and $436 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 202% 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: $59.0 in Cartagena vs $23.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $194 per month, with Erbil cheaper across the board.

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

Cartagena vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Cartagena. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Erbil the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Cartagena, 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: $758 in Cartagena versus $436 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Erbil – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $59.0 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,402 per month in Cartagena versus $1,043 in Erbil – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,043 in Erbil versus $1,402 in Cartagena, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Cartagena. 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, Cartagena 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 34% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.