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 $1,066 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,522 in Erbil versus $1,598 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,010 in Erbil versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Erbil costs roughly 3% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$5.30 IQD 6,947

45.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

-38.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

14.14%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$3.11 IQD 4,074

2.89%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.40 IQD 522

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.18 IQD 233

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$3.49 IQD 4,576

-44.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$2.82 IQD 3,686

-24.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.31 IQD 1,722

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$0.84 IQD 1,100

1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.64 IQD 2,152

13.41%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$1.81 IQD 2,364

9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$4.52 IQD 5,923

59.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$4.86 IQD 6,364

-2.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.16 IQD 1,519

-0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.04 IQD 1,366

10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$0.75 IQD 984

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$0.64 IQD 843

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$0.67 IQD 873

11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$0.63 IQD 828

15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.66 IQD 858

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$2.07 IQD 2,707

26.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$2.11 IQD 2,762

-6.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$0.74 IQD 965

-20.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

26.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$3.72 IQD 4,870

-39.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$1.55 IQD 2,026

50.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$7.49 IQD 9,803

-9.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$0.53 IQD 700

22.64%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-3.12%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

2.48%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$175 IQD 229.3K

-41.91%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

-33.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

-27.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

75.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

-36.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$7.49 IQD 9,813

52.34%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$166 IQD 217.8K

57.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

-7.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

19.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

64.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

26.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

77.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$548 IQD 717.9K

-21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$323 IQD 422.7K

-14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$834 IQD 1.1M

-12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$597 IQD 781.1K

-17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

-76.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

-57.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$629 IQD 823.2K

-7.58%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Erbil and $548 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 8% 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 $195 vs $190, 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 3% 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, salaries run 8% lower in Baghdad. 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: $429 in Erbil versus $548 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 26% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $263 in Erbil versus $166 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 $1,066 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 3% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.