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: $1,017 in Erbil versus $878 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Erbil versus $1,356 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Erbil versus $1,834 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Erbil is roughly 16% more expensive than Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 24% lower, Al-musayyib 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 IQD 9,938

$5.26 IQD 6,889

44.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.90 IQD 30.0K

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

-37.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

$7.51 IQD 9,828

15.18%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,260

$3.11 IQD 4,077

4.50%

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

$0.52 IQD 676

$0.36 IQD 475

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.20 IQD 263

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,555

$3.45 IQD 4,518

-43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$2.94 IQD 3,856

-30.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,725

$1.14 IQD 1,490

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 IQD 1,062

$0.83 IQD 1,093

-2.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,357

$1.57 IQD 2,061

14.65%

Eggs

$1.91 IQD 2,506

$1.57 IQD 2,059

21.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 IQD 9,816

$4.60 IQD 6,023

63.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 IQD 6,315

$3.87 IQD 5,071

24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 IQD 18.5K

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

20.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.14 IQD 1,486

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,500

$1.12 IQD 1,461

2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,494

$1.05 IQD 1,370

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$0.58 IQD 760

37.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 863

$0.64 IQD 838

3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,002

$0.59 IQD 769

30.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 IQD 1,008

$0.60 IQD 784

28.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.37 IQD 480

48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 IQD 3,594

$2.13 IQD 2,786

28.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,794

$1.78 IQD 2,326

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,619

$2.10 IQD 2,747

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 768

$0.39 IQD 516

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 IQD 45.8K

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

12.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$3.90 IQD 5,103

-42.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$1.48 IQD 1,933

54.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 IQD 8,966

$7.57 IQD 9,907

-9.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 839

$0.53 IQD 699

20.75%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-2.17%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.2M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

3.68%

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

$101 IQD 132.2K

$179 IQD 234.1K

-43.52%

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

$17.35 IQD 22.7K

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

-34.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.25 IQD 39.6K

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

-24.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 IQD 94.4K

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

94.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.54 IQD 15.1K

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

-30.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$7.51 IQD 9,840

50.20%

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

$271 IQD 354.5K

$166 IQD 217.7K

62.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,274 IQD 4.3M

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

-8.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.30 IQD 42.3K

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

13.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

61.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.1K

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

26.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 IQD 101.0K

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

78.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 IQD 556.0K

$244 IQD 319.6K

73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 IQD 365.3K

$176 IQD 229.9K

58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 969.0K

$575 IQD 752.9K

28.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 IQD 643.3K

$341 IQD 446.8K

43.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,098 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 IQD 845.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 IQD 773.3K

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Erbil and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $37.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $170, 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $878 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Erbil and $1,317 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: $425 in Erbil versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $271 in Erbil versus $166 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 $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,017 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 16% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.