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: $1,413 in Cartagena versus $1,017 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Cartagena versus $1,518 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Cartagena versus $2,019 in Erbil.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 39% more expensive than Erbil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 5% above, Erbil is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 €11.87

$7.59 IQD 9,938

81.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 €48.93

$22.90 IQD 30.0K

147.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 €6.93

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

-7.05%

Cappuccino

$2.65 €2.28

$3.25 IQD 4,260

-18.46%

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

$2.43 €2.09

$0.52 IQD 676

367.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.20 IQD 261

910.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.95 IQD 2,555

78.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.04 IQD 2,675

72.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.32 IQD 1,725

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.81 IQD 1,062

24.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.80 IQD 2,357

-3.33%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.41

$1.91 IQD 2,505

46.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 €9.57

$7.50 IQD 9,816

48.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 €7.43

$4.82 IQD 6,315

78.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 €11.92

$14.10 IQD 18.5K

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.18 IQD 1,551

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.15 IQD 1,500

62.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.14 IQD 1,494

22.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.80 IQD 1,045

120.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.13

$0.66 IQD 863

98.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 €0.94

$0.77 IQD 1,002

41.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 €0.96

$0.77 IQD 1,008

44.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.55 IQD 721

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €4.95

$2.74 IQD 3,594

109.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 €5.32

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

-50.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.95

$1.37 IQD 1,794

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.12

$2.00 IQD 2,619

-35.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 €1.17

$0.59 IQD 768

128.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 €10.01

$34.99 IQD 45.8K

-66.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.25 IQD 2,942

57.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.03

$2.29 IQD 2,993

-47.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.19 €21.70

$6.85 IQD 8,966

267.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.64 IQD 839

182.81%

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

$30.1K €26.0K

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

55.91%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$20.7K IQD 27.2M

52.87%

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

$145 €125

$101 IQD 132.2K

43.74%

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

$13.32 €11.47

$17.35 IQD 22.7K

-23.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 €25.66

$30.25 IQD 39.6K

-1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.58 €34.11

$72.1 IQD 94.4K

-45.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 €13.04

$11.54 IQD 15.1K

31.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 €6.87

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-29.26%

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

$419 €361

$271 IQD 354.5K

54.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 €2,402

$3,274 IQD 4.3M

-14.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 €38.35

$32.30 IQD 42.3K

37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 €26.98

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

-36.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.66 €38.48

$81.1 IQD 106.1K

-44.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 €67.3

$77.2 IQD 101.0K

1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 €658

$425 IQD 556.0K

79.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 €534

$279 IQD 365.3K

122.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$740 IQD 969.0K

23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 €658

$491 IQD 643.3K

55.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 €1,540

$1,098 IQD 1.4M

62.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,465 €1,263

$646 IQD 845.4K

126.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,996 €1,720

$591 IQD 773.3K

238.05%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Erbil: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Cartagena and $425 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 238% 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 $232 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 39% 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 238% 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: $763 in Cartagena versus $425 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 $1,413 per month in Cartagena versus $1,017 in Erbil – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Erbil versus $1,413 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 39% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.