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: $1,397 in Cartagena versus $1,019 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,993 in Cartagena versus $1,524 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Cartagena versus $2,029 in Erbil.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 37% more expensive than Erbil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 4% above, Erbil is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 €11.94

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

79.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 €49.20

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

150.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 €6.79

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

-11.59%

Cappuccino

$2.57 €2.20

$3.25 IQD 4,252

-20.92%

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

$2.39 €2.04

$0.48 IQD 630

397.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$0.22 IQD 289

786.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.95

$2.01 IQD 2,633

71.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €2.95

$2.04 IQD 2,671

69.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.32 IQD 1,727

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.86

$0.85 IQD 1,115

18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.81 IQD 2,368

-2.76%

Eggs

$2.94 €2.52

$1.98 IQD 2,590

48.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 €9.88

$7.44 IQD 9,745

55.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 €7.22

$4.75 IQD 6,229

77.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 €12.14

$13.99 IQD 18.3K

1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 €1.94

$1.15 IQD 1,509

97.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.16 IQD 1,514

55.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.13 IQD 1,483

23.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.81 IQD 1,061

116.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 €1.10

$0.71 IQD 936

81.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 €0.90

$0.76 IQD 997

38.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.94

$0.76 IQD 1,002

44.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.53 IQD 690

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 €4.84

$2.76 IQD 3,610

104.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 €5.30

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

-49.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.00 IQD 2,627

-35.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.21

$0.56 IQD 728

151.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 €9.97

$34.51 IQD 45.2K

-66.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 €2.98

$2.28 IQD 2,992

52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.02

$2.29 IQD 2,997

-47.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.92 €21.33

$6.92 IQD 9,060

260.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.70 IQD 911

151.43%

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

$30.9K €26.5K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

62.41%

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

$31.9K €27.3K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

53.57%

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

$143 €123

$100 IQD 131.3K

43.12%

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

$13.23 €11.32

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

-24.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 €25.80

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

1.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 €33.06

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

-47.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 €12.92

$11.82 IQD 15.5K

27.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 €6.96

$11.57 IQD 15.2K

-29.73%

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

$433 €370

$264 IQD 345.7K

63.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,792 €2,390

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

-14.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.05 €37.71

$32.96 IQD 43.2K

33.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.92 €27.32

$49.58 IQD 65.0K

-35.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.25 €37.88

$83.8 IQD 109.7K

-47.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 €66.0

$76.7 IQD 100.5K

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$778 €666

$430 IQD 562.8K

81.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 €527

$281 IQD 367.7K

119.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 €789

$716 IQD 938.5K

28.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 €660

$486 IQD 637.2K

58.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,839 €1,574

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

65.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 €1,256

$652 IQD 854.1K

125.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 €1,576

$576 IQD 754.2K

219.91%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Erbil: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $778 in Cartagena and $430 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 220% 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: $57.0 in Cartagena vs $23.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $195 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 37% 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.

Cartagena pays 220% more on average, 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: $778 in Cartagena versus $430 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 $57.0 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Cartagena versus $1,019 in Erbil – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,019 in Erbil versus $1,397 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 37% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.