Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and As Samawah

For one person, living is cheaper in As Samawah: $651 a month against $960 in Erbil, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in As Samawah
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As Samawah Living Index

Jump to prices

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$960

/mo nomad

As Samawah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$651

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Erbil and in As Samawah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Erbil and in As Samawah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Erbil versus $651 in As Samawah.

Erbil $960
As Samawah $651

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Erbil versus $1,052 in As Samawah.

Erbil $1,439
As Samawah $1,052

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Erbil versus $1,452 in As Samawah.

Erbil $1,918
As Samawah $1,452

Living in Erbil is roughly 47% more expensive than in As Samawah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 29% lower, As Samawah 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 IQD 10.1K

$4.66 IQD 7,041

42.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.28 IQD 56.3K

$26.87 IQD 40.6K

38.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 IQD 11.0K

$6.63 IQD 10.0K

9.65%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,914

$2.82 IQD 4,266

15.25%

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

$0.89 IQD 1,350

$0.35 IQD 522

154.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 545

$0.19 IQD 281

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 IQD 8,706

$3.36 IQD 5,079

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 IQD 6,834

$3.24 IQD 4,889

39.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,587

$0.90 IQD 1,367

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 IQD 970

$0.63 IQD 951

1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 IQD 2,180

$1.31 IQD 1,978

9.92%

Eggs

$1.52 IQD 2,298

$1.61 IQD 2,436

-5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 IQD 10.6K

$1.34 IQD 2,019

425.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 IQD 6,661

$4.02 IQD 6,070

9.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 IQD 19.1K

$11.86 IQD 17.9K

6.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,501

$0.96 IQD 1,455

3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,493

$0.92 IQD 1,383

7.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,612

$0.83 IQD 1,256

28.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 1,050

$0.40 IQD 606

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 972

$0.52 IQD 784

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 865

$0.56 IQD 851

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 998

$0.59 IQD 892

11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 770

$0.58 IQD 878

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 IQD 3,209

$1.69 IQD 2,548

25.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.56 IQD 16.0K

$6.66 IQD 10.1K

58.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 IQD 2,209

$1.97 IQD 2,973

-25.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 IQD 2,750

$1.89 IQD 2,854

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 IQD 759

$0.34 IQD 517

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.67 IQD 59.9K

$19.98 IQD 30.2K

98.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 IQD 2,520

$1.96 IQD 2,968

-14.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,325

$1.28 IQD 1,940

20.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 IQD 8,286

$2.61 IQD 3,937

109.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 884

$0.57 IQD 866

1.75%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

-0.01%

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

$17.0K IQD 25.7M

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

2.39%

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

$116 IQD 174.8K

$69.4 IQD 104.9K

66.68%

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

$11.96 IQD 18.1K

$16.69 IQD 25.2K

-28.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 IQD 37.0K

$16.78 IQD 25.3K

46.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 IQD 86.1K

$36.45 IQD 55.1K

56.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.43 IQD 20.3K

$16.68 IQD 25.2K

-19.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 IQD 15.1K

$7.81 IQD 11.8K

27.91%

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

$297 IQD 448.2K

$49.72 IQD 75.1K

496.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,080 IQD 6.2M

$1,297 IQD 2.0M

214.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.29 IQD 39.7K

$25.54 IQD 38.6K

2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 IQD 58.5K

$33.33 IQD 50.4K

16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 IQD 91.8K

$58.9 IQD 89.0K

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 IQD 88.9K

$41.08 IQD 62.1K

43.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 IQD 666.1K

$209 IQD 316.2K

110.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 IQD 404.7K

$137 IQD 207.7K

94.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 IQD 1.1M

$168 IQD 254.1K

313.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 IQD 626.0K

$309 IQD 467.1K

34.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,047 IQD 1.6M

$867 IQD 1.3M

20.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$600 IQD 906.7K

$496 IQD 750.1K

20.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 IQD 776.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

4.12

-38.59%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Erbil: November 1, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Erbil

$268 27.9%

As Samawah

$137 21.1% 48.7% $130

Groceries & Markets

Erbil

$172 18%

As Samawah

$141 21.7% 18% $31

Eating Out

Erbil

$157 16.3%

As Samawah

$116 17.9% 25.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Erbil

$152 15.8%

As Samawah

$103 15.8% 32.4% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Erbil

$83 8.7%

As Samawah

$71 11% 14% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Erbil

$77 8%

As Samawah

$52 8% 32.3% $25

Getting Around

Erbil

$51 5.3%

As Samawah

$30 4.6% 41.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Erbil and $209 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Erbil vs $27 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $141 per month, with As Samawah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Erbil

🇮🇶 As Samawah

🕒 Local time

11:56 11:56 AM

Same time as Erbil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,713,461

250,000

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Erbil As Samawah 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Erbil
As Samawah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 32% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,441 in Erbil and $977 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: $441 in Erbil versus $209 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 50% less than in Erbil. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Erbil versus $50 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

Expats usually find As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.