Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,043 in Erbil versus $643 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,545 in Erbil versus $991 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,046 in Erbil versus $1,339 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Erbil is roughly 62% more expensive than in Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 22% lower, Ba'qubah 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$5.05 IQD 6,612

55.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$15.29 IQD 20.0K

51.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$6.68 IQD 8,747

34.88%

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$1.17 IQD 1,536

176.92%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.52 IQD 687

-5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.17 IQD 224

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$1.88 IQD 2,464

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.11 IQD 2,766

2.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$1.13 IQD 1,482

15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.59 IQD 770

33.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.17 IQD 1,527

59.83%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$1.46 IQD 1,914

33.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$2.29 IQD 2,994

217.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$2.52 IQD 3,298

86.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

32.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$0.99 IQD 1,297

16.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$1.12 IQD 1,464

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$1.00 IQD 1,306

13.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$0.55 IQD 719

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$0.55 IQD 725

30.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$0.64 IQD 840

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$0.49 IQD 642

55.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$0.21 IQD 271

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$2.72 IQD 3,559

-2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

0.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.42 IQD 1,863

1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$2.02 IQD 2,650

-3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.39 IQD 517

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

$30.62 IQD 40.1K

13.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

$2.31 IQD 3,027

-1.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

$2.02 IQD 2,645

14.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$5.30 IQD 6,938

33.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

$0.35 IQD 459

82.86%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

-2.99%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-0.28%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$57.9 IQD 75.8K

74.91%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

8.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$19.07 IQD 25.0K

287.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

$16.70 IQD 21.9K

-29.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$3.87 IQD 5,073

190.70%

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

$26.35 IQD 34.5K

918.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

$638 IQD 835.4K

421.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

74.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

160.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

$81.0 IQD 106.1K

-0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

$26.53 IQD 34.7K

193.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

$246 IQD 322.7K

77.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

$180 IQD 235.3K

53.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$584 IQD 765.3K

26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$341 IQD 446.9K

45.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

$755 IQD 988.8K

44.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

$187 IQD 245.2K

248.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$726 IQD 951.2K

-20.11%

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 Ba'qubah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Erbil and $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $141 per month, with Ba'qubah cheaper across the board.

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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Ba'qubah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Erbil versus $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $23.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $643 in Ba'qubah versus $1,043 in Erbil, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.