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: $1,451 in Cartagena versus $1,101 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,148 in Cartagena versus $1,630 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,844 in Cartagena versus $2,158 in Erbil.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 32% more expensive than in Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 6% above, Erbil is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 €13.18

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

96.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 €51.0

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

31.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 €7.16

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

-2.49%

Cappuccino

$2.67 €2.33

$3.84 IQD 5,027

-30.47%

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

$2.64 €2.30

$1.03 IQD 1,353

156.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.62

$0.44 IQD 580

322.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €3.00

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.48

$4.71 IQD 6,166

-15.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.27 IQD 1,657

-2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 €1.06

$0.83 IQD 1,083

46.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$1.68 IQD 2,197

56.55%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.51

$1.79 IQD 2,345

124.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.36 €11.65

$8.06 IQD 10.6K

65.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 €6.13

$5.78 IQD 7,574

21.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.36 €16.88

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 €2.14

$1.13 IQD 1,483

117.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.10 IQD 1,443

87.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.23 IQD 1,612

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 €2.77

$0.82 IQD 1,068

287.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.70 IQD 911

87.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 €1.17

$0.69 IQD 905

94.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.44

$0.74 IQD 969

124.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.57

$0.55 IQD 723

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.97

$2.52 IQD 3,294

126.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 €5.37

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

-50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.69 IQD 2,217

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$2.09 IQD 2,735

-44.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 €1.32

$0.59 IQD 772

155.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 €10.18

$43.81 IQD 57.4K

-73.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 €5.10

$1.94 IQD 2,544

201.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.82 IQD 2,381

23.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.21 €25.46

$6.56 IQD 8,588

345.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.47

$0.67 IQD 882

150.75%

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

$35.8K €31.2K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

95.60%

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

$30.6K €26.7K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

52.30%

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

$216 €188

$128 IQD 167.0K

69.56%

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

$20.01 €17.44

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

43.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 €25.90

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.17 €36.76

$66.0 IQD 86.4K

-36.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.88 €11.23

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

-11.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 €7.21

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

-29.13%

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

$425 €371

$309 IQD 405.1K

37.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,791 €2,433

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

-11.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.37 €41.29

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

51.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.32 €31.66

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

-19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 €54.7

$69.3 IQD 90.7K

-9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.8

$67.4 IQD 88.3K

59.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 €535

$460 IQD 602.5K

33.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 €445

$297 IQD 389.4K

71.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 €776

$740 IQD 969.5K

20.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 €650

$432 IQD 566.1K

72.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,792 €1,562

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

64.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,463 €1,276

$665 IQD 870.8K

120.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 €1,518

$614 IQD 803.9K

183.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

2.53

60.47%

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

Last update for Cartagena: September 14, 2026

Last update for Erbil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Cartagena and $460 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 184% 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 $44.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $204 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 32% 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 184% 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: $614 in Cartagena versus $460 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 $44.00 versus $59.0 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,451 per month in Cartagena versus $1,101 in Erbil – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,101 in Erbil versus $1,451 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 32% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.