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: $1,043 in Erbil versus $887 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,545 in Erbil versus $1,338 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,046 in Erbil versus $1,789 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Erbil is roughly 18% more expensive than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 22% lower, Al-musayyib 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$5.49 IQD 7,189

42.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

-36.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$7.48 IQD 9,792

20.45%

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$2.99 IQD 3,911

8.36%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.37 IQD 483

32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.19 IQD 244

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$3.43 IQD 4,488

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.81 IQD 3,683

-23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$1.17 IQD 1,538

11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.84 IQD 1,104

-5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.51 IQD 1,975

23.84%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$1.49 IQD 1,956

30.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$4.54 IQD 5,947

59.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$3.74 IQD 4,897

25.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

24.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.18 IQD 1,543

-2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$1.13 IQD 1,479

4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$1.01 IQD 1,326

11.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$0.58 IQD 764

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$0.59 IQD 773

22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$0.59 IQD 771

28.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$0.54 IQD 712

40.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$0.37 IQD 481

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$2.05 IQD 2,685

29.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

-11.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$2.08 IQD 2,721

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.37 IQD 479

59.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

10.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

$3.91 IQD 5,122

-41.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

$1.52 IQD 1,996

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$7.61 IQD 9,960

-7.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

$0.58 IQD 755

10.34%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

-5.15%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

3.11%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$180 IQD 235.5K

-43.71%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

-30.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

-27.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

101.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

-29.16%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$7.63 IQD 9,992

47.44%

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

$167 IQD 218.1K

61.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

-6.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

62.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

25.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

81.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

$241 IQD 315.4K

81.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

$180 IQD 236.1K

52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$583 IQD 763.9K

26.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$342 IQD 448.0K

45.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

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-musayyib: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Erbil and $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $36.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $168, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil and Al-musayyib differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,043 vs $887 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,565 in Erbil and $1,330 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Erbil versus $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Erbil versus $167 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,043 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 18% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.