Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Erbil versus $1,054 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Erbil versus $1,592 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Erbil versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Erbil costs roughly 2% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$5.48 IQD 7,181

40.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

-38.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$7.57 IQD 9,909

18.63%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$3.06 IQD 4,003

2.29%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.40 IQD 518

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.18 IQD 242

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$3.42 IQD 4,485

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-27.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.32 IQD 1,726

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.78 IQD 1,017

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.65 IQD 2,166

9.09%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.79 IQD 2,350

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$4.40 IQD 5,763

71.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$5.07 IQD 6,636

-5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-0.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.17 IQD 1,530

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.01 IQD 1,329

17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.70 IQD 922

8.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.70 IQD 911

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$0.64 IQD 835

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.63 IQD 822

23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.66 IQD 871

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$2.11 IQD 2,765

24.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

-5.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$2.15 IQD 2,815

-6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.78 IQD 1,027

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

19.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$3.88 IQD 5,087

-39.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$1.47 IQD 1,923

49.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-12.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.56 IQD 737

25.00%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-5.97%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

3.97%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$181 IQD 237.4K

-43.49%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

-29.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

-26.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

76.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

-36.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

48.59%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$163 IQD 213.2K

65.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

-8.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

14.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

57.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

76.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$540 IQD 707.6K

-21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$321 IQD 420.5K

-13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-11.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$580 IQD 759.9K

-16.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

-72.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

-59.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$642 IQD 841.2K

-9.06%

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 Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Erbil and $540 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $37.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $191, with Baghdad 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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Erbil the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Baghdad earns 10% less. 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: $426 in Erbil versus $540 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Erbil runs roughly 19% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Erbil versus $163 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Erbil versus $1,054 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Erbil 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 Baghdad 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 Erbil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.