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: $1,027 in Erbil versus $893 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,517 in Erbil versus $1,334 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,008 in Erbil versus $1,774 in Al-musayyib.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 24% lower, Al-musayyib 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$5.24 IQD 6,867

50.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.86 IQD 29.9K

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

-37.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 IQD 11.2K

$7.55 IQD 9,883

13.64%

Cappuccino

$3.26 IQD 4,266

$3.00 IQD 3,928

8.67%

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

$0.51 IQD 674

$0.37 IQD 483

37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.21 IQD 270

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,547

$3.45 IQD 4,520

-43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.86 IQD 3,742

-24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,745

$1.13 IQD 1,479

17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.84 IQD 1,096

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,359

$1.57 IQD 2,059

14.65%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,508

$1.50 IQD 1,967

28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 IQD 9,801

$4.39 IQD 5,742

70.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 IQD 6,345

$3.94 IQD 5,163

23.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 IQD 18.8K

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,554

$1.12 IQD 1,469

6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,564

$1.13 IQD 1,477

5.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$1.00 IQD 1,313

19.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,059

$0.56 IQD 731

44.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 880

$0.59 IQD 777

13.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$0.54 IQD 709

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 968

$0.55 IQD 716

34.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.37 IQD 481

54.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,545

$2.07 IQD 2,710

30.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 IQD 16.4K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-9.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.76 IQD 2,302

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 IQD 2,654

$2.16 IQD 2,826

-6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 778

$0.40 IQD 519

47.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 IQD 46.0K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

12.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$3.76 IQD 4,918

-37.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,019

$1.54 IQD 2,012

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 IQD 8,893

$7.47 IQD 9,779

-9.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.57 IQD 746

14.04%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-4.40%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

4.39%

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

$98.8 IQD 129.4K

$179 IQD 234.4K

-44.81%

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

$17.50 IQD 22.9K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-31.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

-23.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.9 IQD 96.7K

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

100.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.75 IQD 15.4K

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

-30.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 IQD 14.8K

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

45.19%

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

$262 IQD 343.0K

$166 IQD 217.5K

57.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 IQD 4.4M

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

-5.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.22 IQD 43.5K

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

18.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.02 IQD 62.9K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

56.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 IQD 106.8K

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

27.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 IQD 100.9K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

76.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 IQD 562.7K

$244 IQD 319.5K

76.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 IQD 361.4K

$178 IQD 232.6K

55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 IQD 947.3K

$585 IQD 765.6K

23.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.5K

$339 IQD 444.0K

46.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 854.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 IQD 740.9K

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Erbil and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23 in Erbil vs $37 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,027 vs $893 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,541 in Erbil and $1,340 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: $430 in Erbil versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $262 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 17% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $893 in Al-musayyib versus $1,027 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 15% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.