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 $1,043 per month in Erbil vs $724 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,545 per month in Erbil vs $1,142 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Erbil vs $1,559 in Al Kut, rent included.

Erbil costs about 44% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Erbil and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 22% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$4.06 IQD 5,320

93.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$24.97 IQD 32.7K

-7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$6.69 IQD 8,763

34.68%

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$2.59 IQD 3,394

25.10%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.37 IQD 480

32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.20 IQD 256

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$2.97 IQD 3,891

-34.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.95 IQD 3,865

-26.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$1.32 IQD 1,727

-0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.84 IQD 1,101

-5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.48 IQD 1,942

26.35%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$1.54 IQD 2,017

26.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$4.61 IQD 6,042

57.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$3.49 IQD 4,567

34.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$0.84 IQD 1,098

36.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$1.01 IQD 1,317

16.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$0.82 IQD 1,069

37.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$0.73 IQD 962

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$0.66 IQD 862

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$0.66 IQD 867

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$0.63 IQD 824

20.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$0.53 IQD 689

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$1.86 IQD 2,429

43.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.79 IQD 2,344

-19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$2.07 IQD 2,711

-6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.39 IQD 511

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

$31.59 IQD 41.4K

10.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

$2.29 IQD 2,996

-0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

$1.55 IQD 2,034

49.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$6.16 IQD 8,067

14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

$0.58 IQD 756

10.34%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

-1.23%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

2.00%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

33.18%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

-0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$34.28 IQD 44.9K

-13.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$37.26 IQD 48.8K

98.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

$16.97 IQD 22.2K

-30.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

42.95%

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

$155 IQD 202.4K

73.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

$3,292 IQD 4.3M

1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

20.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

93.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

86.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

$247 IQD 323.6K

76.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

$176 IQD 230.5K

56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$575 IQD 753.5K

28.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$338 IQD 442.8K

46.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

$981 IQD 1.3M

11.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

$497 IQD 650.5K

31.46%

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 Kut: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Erbil versus $247 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 – $194 in Erbil vs $147 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: $1,043 in Erbil, $724 in Al Kut – roughly 44% apart. Erbil costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,565 per month in Erbil and $1,086 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 32% 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 $724, than in Erbil at $1,043. 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.