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: $1,074 in Erbil versus $691 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,624 in Erbil versus $1,085 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in Erbil versus $1,479 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Living in Erbil is roughly 56% more expensive than in Al-miqdadiyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 22% lower, Al-miqdadiyah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$7.59 IQD 9,945

2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.48 IQD 56.9K

$43.52 IQD 57.0K

-0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 IQD 10.7K

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$3.65 IQD 4,784

$3.76 IQD 4,920

-2.93%

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

$1.04 IQD 1,362

$1.04 IQD 1,357

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 585

$0.45 IQD 591

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 IQD 7,810

$6.13 IQD 8,034

-2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 IQD 5,839

$4.65 IQD 6,094

-4.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,665

$1.28 IQD 1,678

-0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$0.77 IQD 1,013

6.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,187

$1.76 IQD 2,300

-5.11%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,418

$1.84 IQD 2,415

0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

$8.33 IQD 10.9K

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 IQD 7,485

$5.54 IQD 7,254

3.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

$14.79 IQD 19.4K

0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.15 IQD 1,505

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,521

$1.10 IQD 1,446

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,544

$1.19 IQD 1,555

-0.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 979

$0.82 IQD 1,070

-8.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 997

$0.76 IQD 993

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.69 IQD 905

-1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 961

$0.74 IQD 964

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.59 IQD 776

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,305

$2.42 IQD 3,165

4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$12.69 IQD 16.6K

-3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 IQD 2,160

$1.63 IQD 2,133

1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,783

$2.08 IQD 2,727

2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 719

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,561

$1.86 IQD 2,442

5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,379

$1.83 IQD 2,400

-0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 IQD 8,533

$6.54 IQD 8,564

-0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 866

$0.62 IQD 813

6.45%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$18.1K IQD 23.7M

-1.65%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-2.41%

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

$128 IQD 167.5K

$130 IQD 170.0K

-1.48%

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

$13.86 IQD 18.1K

$13.90 IQD 18.2K

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.91 IQD 36.6K

$27.70 IQD 36.3K

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 IQD 19.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 IQD 15.2K

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

3.12%

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

$314 IQD 411.2K

$312 IQD 409.2K

0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 IQD 4.0M

$3,084 IQD 4.0M

-0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.66 IQD 40.2K

$31.12 IQD 40.8K

-1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.68 IQD 59.8K

$44.33 IQD 58.1K

3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 IQD 89.0K

$70.1 IQD 91.7K

-3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 IQD 90.1K

$69.2 IQD 90.6K

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 IQD 616.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 IQD 385.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 IQD 953.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 IQD 568.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,096 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 IQD 846.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 796.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Erbil: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al-miqdadiyah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Erbil vs $44.00 in Al-miqdadiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $205 per month, with Erbil cheaper across the board.

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 56% in total monthly costs ($1,074 vs $691 including rent). Al-miqdadiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,612 in Erbil and $1,036 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,074 per month in Erbil versus $691 in Al-miqdadiyah – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $691 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,074 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 56% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.