Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and An Nasiriyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and An Nasiriyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Erbil vs $803 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,545 per month in Erbil vs $1,161 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Erbil vs $1,520 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

Erbil costs about 30% more than An Nasiriyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Erbil and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 22% lower, An Nasiriyah 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$3.17 IQD 4,152

147.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$12.48 IQD 16.3K

85.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$7.02 IQD 9,197

28.35%

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$2.70 IQD 3,532

20.00%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.36 IQD 473

36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.19 IQD 246

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$3.51 IQD 4,595

-44.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.85 IQD 3,739

-24.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$0.87 IQD 1,142

50.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.84 IQD 1,100

-5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.37 IQD 1,797

36.50%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$1.66 IQD 2,171

17.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$3.23 IQD 4,230

124.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$3.84 IQD 5,032

22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

62.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.23 IQD 1,606

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$1.16 IQD 1,523

1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$0.81 IQD 1,062

39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$0.41 IQD 534

82.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$0.40 IQD 528

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$0.55 IQD 715

38.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$0.51 IQD 672

49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$0.44 IQD 576

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$1.61 IQD 2,102

65.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.77 IQD 2,321

-18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$2.18 IQD 2,852

-11.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.23 IQD 301

156.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

$31.24 IQD 40.9K

11.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

$2.36 IQD 3,095

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

$1.53 IQD 2,010

51.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$2.95 IQD 3,859

138.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

$0.54 IQD 704

18.52%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-5.34%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$15.1K IQD 19.8M

36.35%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$175 IQD 229.5K

-42.26%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$26.02 IQD 34.1K

-31.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$40.42 IQD 52.9K

-26.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$19.44 IQD 25.5K

279.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

-29.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

44.05%

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

$166 IQD 217.1K

61.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

$3,538 IQD 4.6M

-5.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

$11.53 IQD 15.1K

185.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

62.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

200.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

$37.93 IQD 49.7K

105.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

$246 IQD 322.6K

77.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

$177 IQD 231.7K

55.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$587 IQD 768.3K

25.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$339 IQD 443.5K

46.51%

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

$776 IQD 1.0M

-25.21%

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 An Nasiriyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Erbil versus $246 in An Nasiriyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in An Nasiriyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil versus $12.00 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $152 – making An Nasiriyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 An Nasiriyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,043 in Erbil, $803 in An Nasiriyah – roughly 30% apart. Erbil costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,565 per month in Erbil and $1,204 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Nasiriyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 11% less in An Nasiriyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Erbil and $166 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in An Nasiriyah, where all-in costs run around $803, than in Erbil at $1,043. In An Nasiriyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward An Nasiriyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Nasiriyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.