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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Erbil versus $656 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Erbil versus $1,043 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Erbil versus $1,429 in Al Kufah.

Living in Erbil is roughly 58% more expensive than Al Kufah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Al Kufah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$5.45 IQD 7,142

41.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$36.32 IQD 47.6K

-37.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$7.50 IQD 9,815

19.73%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$3.05 IQD 3,990

2.62%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.39 IQD 517

25.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.20 IQD 266

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$3.34 IQD 4,375

-40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.83 IQD 3,711

-24.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.11 IQD 1,454

18.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.66 IQD 861

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.63 IQD 2,135

10.43%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.74 IQD 2,283

13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$2.24 IQD 2,934

236.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$3.08 IQD 4,038

55.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$10.18 IQD 13.3K

40.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$0.52 IQD 683

119.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$0.92 IQD 1,209

30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$0.71 IQD 933

67.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.49 IQD 646

55.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.40 IQD 527

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$0.31 IQD 401

132.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.68 IQD 884

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.42 IQD 545

26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$1.96 IQD 2,566

34.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

-9.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.82 IQD 2,388

-20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$2.12 IQD 2,771

-5.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.37 IQD 488

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

9.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$2.34 IQD 3,068

0.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$1.53 IQD 2,004

43.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-10.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.54 IQD 704

29.63%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-4.68%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

5.33%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$40.32 IQD 52.8K

154.07%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$26.29 IQD 34.4K

-31.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

29.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

185.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

-28.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$7.43 IQD 9,724

56.39%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$87.4 IQD 114.4K

207.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$2,386 IQD 3.1M

37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$21.39 IQD 28.0K

53.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

58.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$19.88 IQD 26.0K

307.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

175.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$210 IQD 275.6K

102.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$181 IQD 237.0K

53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$424 IQD 555.4K

71.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$290 IQD 379.6K

67.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$3,193 IQD 4.2M

-64.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$1,688 IQD 2.2M

-61.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$776 IQD 1.0M

-24.69%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Erbil and $210 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $36.00 in Al Kufah. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $148, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al Kufah earns 33% less. 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: $426 in Erbil versus $210 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $23.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Erbil versus $656 in Al Kufah – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Al Kufah versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah 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 Kufah 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 Kufah 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.