Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Duhok: $608 a month against $959 in Erbil, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Duhok
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Duhok Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index

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Duhok

🇮🇶 Iraq

$608

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$959

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Duhok and in Erbil

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Duhok and in Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $608 in Duhok versus $959 in Erbil.

Duhok $608
Erbil $959

Estimated couple costs with rent: $978 in Duhok versus $1,431 in Erbil.

Duhok $978
Erbil $1,431

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,349 in Duhok versus $1,904 in Erbil.

Duhok $1,349
Erbil $1,904

Living in Duhok costs roughly 37% less than in Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 55% lower, Erbil 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 IQD 5,111

$6.50 IQD 9,821

-48.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.59 IQD 25.1K

$36.30 IQD 54.8K

-54.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 IQD 11.2K

$7.09 IQD 10.7K

4.37%

Cappuccino

$2.43 IQD 3,665

$3.28 IQD 4,953

-25.91%

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

$0.32 IQD 481

$0.82 IQD 1,243

-60.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 294

$0.33 IQD 504

-42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 IQD 2,550

$5.74 IQD 8,674

-70.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,932

$4.01 IQD 6,052

-51.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,680

$1.11 IQD 1,670

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 IQD 1,016

$0.67 IQD 1,017

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 IQD 2,232

$1.50 IQD 2,267

-1.33%

Eggs

$1.58 IQD 2,391

$1.59 IQD 2,400

-0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 IQD 7,359

$6.95 IQD 10.5K

-29.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 IQD 4,478

$4.41 IQD 6,659

-32.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 IQD 16.6K

$12.91 IQD 19.5K

-15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,489

$0.96 IQD 1,455

3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,461

$0.94 IQD 1,427

3.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 1,136

$1.05 IQD 1,587

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 959

$0.65 IQD 980

-3.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 919

$0.59 IQD 892

3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 940

$0.64 IQD 964

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 IQD 926

$0.66 IQD 995

-7.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 787

$0.48 IQD 725

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 IQD 2,609

$2.20 IQD 3,330

-21.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 IQD 16.6K

$10.68 IQD 16.1K

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 IQD 2,121

$1.43 IQD 2,156

-2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,700

$1.85 IQD 2,799

-3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 IQD 459

$0.48 IQD 729

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.64 IQD 23.6K

$39.33 IQD 59.4K

-60.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 IQD 2,420

$1.69 IQD 2,559

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 IQD 1,945

$1.56 IQD 2,364

-17.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 IQD 8,343

$5.45 IQD 8,233

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 819

$0.55 IQD 829

-1.82%

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

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

$16.5K IQD 24.9M

0.86%

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

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

$17.1K IQD 25.8M

0.14%

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

$87.3 IQD 131.8K

$115 IQD 174.0K

-24.24%

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

$8.86 IQD 13.4K

$11.91 IQD 18.0K

-25.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.83 IQD 36.0K

$24.10 IQD 36.4K

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 IQD 75.7K

$56.9 IQD 85.9K

-11.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 IQD 40.1K

$13.28 IQD 20.1K

99.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 IQD 11.4K

$9.78 IQD 14.8K

-23.11%

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

$106 IQD 160.6K

$315 IQD 476.7K

-66.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,727 IQD 4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.02 IQD 15.1K

$27.05 IQD 40.9K

-62.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.32 IQD 30.7K

$39.50 IQD 59.7K

-48.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.27 IQD 45.7K

$60.6 IQD 91.6K

-50.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.60 IQD 29.6K

$58.7 IQD 88.7K

-66.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 IQD 237.0K

$440 IQD 665.5K

-64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 174.7K

$269 IQD 406.8K

-57.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 IQD 496.7K

$689 IQD 1.0M

-52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 IQD 489.1K

$411 IQD 620.3K

-21.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$445 IQD 671.8K

$1,042 IQD 1.6M

-57.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$362 IQD 547.1K

$605 IQD 914.8K

-40.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$415 IQD 627.4K

$511 IQD 771.9K

-18.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

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

Last update for Duhok: October 18, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Duhok

$154 25.3%

Erbil

$173 18.1% 12.8% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Duhok

$120 19.7%

Erbil

$151 15.8% 26% $31

Accommodation & Living

Duhok

$116 19%

Erbil

$269 28.1% 133% $154

Eating Out

Duhok

$93 15.3%

Erbil

$154 16.1% 66% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Duhok

$65 10.7%

Erbil

$76 8% 17.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Duhok

$36 5.9%

Erbil

$84 8.7% 132% $48

Getting Around

Duhok

$25 4.1%

Erbil

$51 5.3% 104% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Duhok and $440 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Erbil pays 23% 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: $17.00 in Duhok vs $36.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $154 vs $173 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Duhok

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

00:30 12:30 AM

Same time as Duhok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,900

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Duhok Erbil 120 km

From you

Duhok
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Duhok vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duhok and Erbil differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($608 vs $959 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Erbil. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $157 in Duhok versus $440 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $106 in Duhok versus $315 in Erbil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $608 in Duhok versus $959 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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, Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.