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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Erbil versus $703 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,624 in Erbil versus $1,023 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in Erbil versus $1,344 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Erbil is roughly 53% more expensive than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 22% lower, Al-musayyib 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$4.65 IQD 6,091

67.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.48 IQD 56.9K

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

25.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 IQD 10.7K

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

6.49%

Cappuccino

$3.65 IQD 4,784

$3.18 IQD 4,163

14.78%

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

$1.04 IQD 1,362

$0.39 IQD 514

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 585

$0.26 IQD 342

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 IQD 7,810

$3.90 IQD 5,105

52.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 IQD 5,839

$3.83 IQD 5,021

16.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,665

$1.08 IQD 1,413

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$0.77 IQD 1,014

6.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,187

$1.52 IQD 1,985

9.87%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,418

$1.56 IQD 2,047

18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

$3.87 IQD 5,068

116.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 IQD 7,485

$3.83 IQD 5,016

49.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

31.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.14 IQD 1,487

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,521

$1.07 IQD 1,396

8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,544

$1.05 IQD 1,376

12.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 979

$0.54 IQD 711

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 997

$0.60 IQD 781

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.59 IQD 768

15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 961

$0.55 IQD 721

32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.36 IQD 474

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,305

$1.82 IQD 2,386

38.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

-10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 IQD 2,160

$2.24 IQD 2,935

-26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,783

$2.29 IQD 2,997

-6.99%

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

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-13.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,379

$1.49 IQD 1,952

22.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 IQD 8,533

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

-14.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 866

$0.63 IQD 823

4.76%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-6.23%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

3.78%

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

$128 IQD 167.5K

$212 IQD 277.1K

-39.55%

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

$13.86 IQD 18.1K

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

-33.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.91 IQD 36.6K

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

-32.75%

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

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

8.43%

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

$314 IQD 411.2K

$170 IQD 222.6K

84.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 IQD 4.0M

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

-12.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.66 IQD 40.2K

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.68 IQD 59.8K

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

21.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 IQD 89.0K

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

-6.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 IQD 90.1K

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

47.98%

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

4.12

-38.59%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Erbil vs $35.00 in Al-musayyib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $167 per month, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil and Al-musayyib differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,074 vs $703 including rent). Al-musayyib 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 $1,054 in Al-musayyib 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.

Childcare runs $314 in Erbil versus $170 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $43.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,074 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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-musayyib 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-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.