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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $810 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Erbil vs $1,264 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Erbil vs $1,718 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Erbil costs about 28% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Erbil and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$5.45 IQD 7,132

41.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

-27.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$6.12 IQD 8,019

45.10%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$3.06 IQD 4,005

4.58%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.40 IQD 518

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.18 IQD 242

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$2.93 IQD 3,833

-34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$2.90 IQD 3,793

-26.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.37 IQD 1,800

-4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$0.74 IQD 963

14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.65 IQD 2,156

12.73%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$1.80 IQD 2,359

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$4.49 IQD 5,874

61.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$4.80 IQD 6,290

-1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.19 IQD 1,564

-3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.04 IQD 1,368

10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$0.69 IQD 899

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$0.66 IQD 863

3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$0.63 IQD 820

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$0.59 IQD 778

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.55 IQD 721

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$1.90 IQD 2,485

37.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$13.82 IQD 18.1K

-11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$1.84 IQD 2,415

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$2.17 IQD 2,840

-9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$0.40 IQD 520

47.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

-46.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$2.36 IQD 3,092

-4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$1.55 IQD 2,031

50.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$3.37 IQD 4,414

100.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$0.54 IQD 703

20.37%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

11.37%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

2.80%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

34.10%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$39.00 IQD 51.1K

-24.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

215.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

-39.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

46.85%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$95.6 IQD 125.2K

174.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$779 IQD 1.0M

317.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$27.22 IQD 35.6K

22.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$27.73 IQD 36.3K

78.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$61.6 IQD 80.7K

31.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

74.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$364 IQD 476.8K

17.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$196 IQD 256.8K

40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$667 IQD 874.0K

9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$313 IQD 410.0K

58.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$1,746 IQD 2.3M

-35.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$545 IQD 713.5K

21.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$517 IQD 677.5K

12.30%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Erbil versus $364 in Al Hillah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Erbil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Erbil vs $189 in Al Hillah – so Al Hillah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil and $1,215 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hillah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Erbil and $95.6 in Al Hillah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,034 in Erbil and $810 in Al Hillah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al Hillah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.