Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Al Fallujah Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Al Fallujah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,043 in Erbil versus $911 in Al Fallujah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,545 in Erbil versus $1,376 in Al Fallujah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,046 in Erbil versus $1,841 in Al Fallujah.

Living in Erbil is roughly 14% more expensive than in Al Fallujah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 22% lower, Al Fallujah 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$5.34 IQD 6,994

47.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$37.01 IQD 48.5K

-37.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$7.63 IQD 9,985

18.09%

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$3.08 IQD 4,033

5.19%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.37 IQD 479

32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.19 IQD 251

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$3.41 IQD 4,463

-42.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.83 IQD 3,708

-23.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$1.32 IQD 1,728

-0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.83 IQD 1,084

-4.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.65 IQD 2,157

13.33%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$1.81 IQD 2,370

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$4.47 IQD 5,857

62.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$4.89 IQD 6,401

-4.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$14.00 IQD 18.3K

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.23 IQD 1,613

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$1.17 IQD 1,529

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$1.02 IQD 1,335

10.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$0.71 IQD 925

5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$0.66 IQD 860

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$0.68 IQD 888

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$0.62 IQD 812

22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$0.65 IQD 856

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$2.06 IQD 2,694

29.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

$13.73 IQD 18.0K

-10.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.76 IQD 2,305

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$2.16 IQD 2,832

-10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.37 IQD 482

59.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

11.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

$3.85 IQD 5,045

-41.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

$1.53 IQD 2,005

51.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-9.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

$0.56 IQD 738

14.29%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

-6.06%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

3.87%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$177 IQD 231.2K

-42.68%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$26.39 IQD 34.6K

-32.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$40.47 IQD 53.0K

-26.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$36.23 IQD 47.4K

103.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

-28.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$7.57 IQD 9,914

48.61%

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

$164 IQD 214.8K

63.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

$3,603 IQD 4.7M

-7.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

17.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

57.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

$65.2 IQD 85.4K

23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

$44.12 IQD 57.8K

76.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

$245 IQD 320.6K

78.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

$177 IQD 232.4K

55.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$587 IQD 769.2K

25.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$341 IQD 446.3K

45.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

5.67

152.73%

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

Last update for Erbil: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Fallujah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Erbil and $245 in Al Fallujah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $37.00 in Al Fallujah. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $190, with Al Fallujah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Erbil vs Al Fallujah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fallujah wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Erbil. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Fallujah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,565 in Erbil and $1,367 in Al Fallujah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Erbil versus $245 in Al Fallujah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Erbil versus $164 in Al Fallujah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $911 in Al Fallujah versus $1,043 in Erbil, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Fallujah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al Fallujah 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, Erbil and Al Fallujah 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 Al Fallujah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.