Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Al-miqdadiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Al-miqdadiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Erbil versus $896 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Erbil versus $1,348 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Erbil versus $1,800 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Living in Erbil is roughly 15% more expensive than Al-miqdadiyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Al-miqdadiyah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$7.55 IQD 9,882

2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$23.17 IQD 30.3K

-1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$9.02 IQD 11.8K

-0.44%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$3.25 IQD 4,259

-3.69%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.49 IQD 636

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.20 IQD 262

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$1.95 IQD 2,551

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.06 IQD 2,701

3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.87 IQD 1,135

-3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.80 IQD 2,354

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.88 IQD 2,466

5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$7.48 IQD 9,794

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$4.61 IQD 6,032

4.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$14.03 IQD 18.4K

1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$1.19 IQD 1,553

-4.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.19 IQD 1,556

0.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.19 IQD 1,554

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.80 IQD 1,052

-5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.71 IQD 929

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$0.69 IQD 909

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.72 IQD 939

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.53 IQD 690

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$2.72 IQD 3,568

-3.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$12.30 IQD 16.1K

2.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.43 IQD 1,867

1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$2.03 IQD 2,655

-0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.36 IQD 475

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$31.57 IQD 41.3K

7.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$2.25 IQD 2,952

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$2.26 IQD 2,959

-2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$6.93 IQD 9,081

-0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.68 IQD 891

2.94%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

-0.98%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

0.96%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

0.04%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$29.34 IQD 38.4K

-0.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$37.27 IQD 48.8K

95.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

-29.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

1.66%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$264 IQD 345.2K

1.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$3,234 IQD 4.2M

1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

-2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$241 IQD 315.8K

76.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$180 IQD 235.3K

54.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$591 IQD 773.7K

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$344 IQD 451.1K

40.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

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-miqdadiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Erbil and $241 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $23.00 in Al-miqdadiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $194, with Al-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil and Al-miqdadiyah differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $896 including rent). Al-miqdadiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,551 in Erbil and $1,344 in Al-miqdadiyah 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: $426 in Erbil versus $241 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Erbil versus $264 in Al-miqdadiyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $896 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-miqdadiyah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.