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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,019 per month in Erbil vs $719 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,524 per month in Erbil vs $1,124 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,029 per month in Erbil vs $1,530 in Al Kut, rent included.

Erbil costs about 42% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Erbil and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 24% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$3.94 IQD 5,165

97.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

-8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

$6.76 IQD 8,853

32.69%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,252

$2.63 IQD 3,452

23.57%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.39 IQD 512

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 289

$0.21 IQD 281

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$2.93 IQD 3,844

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,671

$2.94 IQD 3,847

-30.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,727

$1.33 IQD 1,738

-0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,115

$0.84 IQD 1,096

1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 IQD 2,368

$1.49 IQD 1,956

21.48%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$1.59 IQD 2,081

24.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 IQD 9,745

$4.56 IQD 5,978

63.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 IQD 6,229

$3.58 IQD 4,690

32.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 IQD 18.3K

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$0.84 IQD 1,102

36.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,514

$1.00 IQD 1,315

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,483

$0.85 IQD 1,109

32.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$0.75 IQD 985

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 936

$0.69 IQD 902

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 997

$0.62 IQD 811

22.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,002

$0.67 IQD 880

13.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 690

$0.56 IQD 736

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 IQD 3,610

$1.88 IQD 2,460

46.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.76 IQD 2,310

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,627

$2.15 IQD 2,813

-6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.37 IQD 480

51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.51 IQD 45.2K

$31.33 IQD 41.0K

10.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$2.24 IQD 2,932

1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,997

$1.52 IQD 1,994

50.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 IQD 9,060

$5.87 IQD 7,690

17.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.53 IQD 700

32.08%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

-0.75%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

4.81%

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

$100 IQD 131.3K

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

31.59%

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

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

-1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

-15.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

100.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 IQD 15.5K

$17.06 IQD 22.4K

-30.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 IQD 15.2K

$7.61 IQD 9,975

52.04%

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

$264 IQD 345.7K

$152 IQD 199.6K

73.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

$3,254 IQD 4.3M

0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.96 IQD 43.2K

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

20.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 IQD 65.0K

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

98.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 IQD 109.7K

$61.9 IQD 81.0K

35.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 IQD 100.5K

$40.65 IQD 53.3K

88.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 IQD 562.8K

$241 IQD 315.7K

78.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 367.7K

$179 IQD 234.1K

57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 IQD 938.5K

$569 IQD 745.4K

25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 IQD 637.2K

$346 IQD 452.6K

40.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

$990 IQD 1.3M

12.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$652 IQD 854.1K

$509 IQD 666.6K

28.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 IQD 754.2K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Erbil versus $241 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Erbil vs $149 in Al Kut – so Al Kut 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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,019 in Erbil, $719 in Al Kut – roughly 42% apart. Erbil costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,528 per month in Erbil and $1,078 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 31% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil and $25.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Erbil at $1,019. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kut – 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 Kut. 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.