Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Erbil versus $906 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Erbil versus $1,356 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Erbil versus $1,805 in As Samawah.

Living in Erbil is roughly 14% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, As Samawah 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$5.40 IQD 7,073

42.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$36.94 IQD 48.4K

-38.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

15.57%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$2.95 IQD 3,865

6.10%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.40 IQD 522

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.16 IQD 215

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$3.42 IQD 4,484

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.88 IQD 3,777

-25.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.36 IQD 1,785

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.84 IQD 1,104

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.60 IQD 2,093

12.50%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.59 IQD 2,081

24.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$4.55 IQD 5,955

65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$4.96 IQD 6,501

-3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$0.98 IQD 1,287

16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.01 IQD 1,329

18.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$0.68 IQD 896

75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.51 IQD 671

49.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.70 IQD 914

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$0.68 IQD 884

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.31 IQD 411

151.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.63 IQD 820

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$2.12 IQD 2,782

24.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$7.58 IQD 9,929

65.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.85 IQD 2,419

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$2.11 IQD 2,763

-4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.39 IQD 513

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$30.75 IQD 40.3K

10.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$3.73 IQD 4,888

-37.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$1.50 IQD 1,958

46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$7.50 IQD 9,819

-8.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.54 IQD 704

29.63%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-4.70%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

5.79%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$178 IQD 232.6K

-42.32%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

-29.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$39.88 IQD 52.2K

-26.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

100.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$17.08 IQD 22.4K

-31.09%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$7.44 IQD 9,746

56.18%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$166 IQD 217.4K

61.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$3,650 IQD 4.8M

-10.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

14.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$30.00 IQD 39.3K

61.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$65.9 IQD 86.2K

22.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$43.65 IQD 57.2K

75.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$245 IQD 320.7K

73.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$177 IQD 231.5K

57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$580 IQD 759.7K

25.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$342 IQD 448.1K

41.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Erbil and $245 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $37.00 in As Samawah. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $173, with As Samawah 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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,551 in Erbil and $1,359 in As Samawah 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: $426 in Erbil versus $245 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 11% less than in Erbil. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Erbil versus $166 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $906 in As Samawah versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah 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 As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.