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: $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,148 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Erbil versus $1,708 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,213 in Erbil versus $2,269 in Baghdad.

Living in Erbil costs roughly 5% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 20% lower, Baghdad 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$4.81 IQD 6,294

59.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

33.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

6.90%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,950

$3.07 IQD 4,013

23.13%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,336

$0.40 IQD 519

155.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 540

$0.26 IQD 342

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,814

$3.89 IQD 5,085

53.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,823

$3.75 IQD 4,901

18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,667

$1.09 IQD 1,423

16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,032

$0.83 IQD 1,089

-4.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,224

$1.53 IQD 2,002

11.11%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,304

$1.89 IQD 2,470

-6.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.8K

$3.80 IQD 4,965

118.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,244

$4.58 IQD 5,985

20.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,444

$1.14 IQD 1,490

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,501

$1.07 IQD 1,397

7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,597

$1.06 IQD 1,389

15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,060

$0.74 IQD 970

9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 973

$0.66 IQD 859

12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$0.64 IQD 842

7.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$0.63 IQD 826

25.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.70 IQD 919

-17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,289

$1.83 IQD 2,397

37.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$13.65 IQD 17.8K

-7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,194

$2.21 IQD 2,887

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,690

$2.18 IQD 2,857

-5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 780

$0.65 IQD 853

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.4K

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

93.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,530

$2.32 IQD 3,033

-16.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,277

$1.55 IQD 2,023

12.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,511

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-16.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.61 IQD 800

9.84%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-5.79%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

2.86%

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

$130 IQD 170.3K

$213 IQD 278.5K

-38.87%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

-33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.5K

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

-33.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.4K

$46.87 IQD 61.3K

37.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

-34.09%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

6.24%

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

$312 IQD 408.6K

$165 IQD 216.4K

88.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

-11.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 58.9K

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.2K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 88.9K

$47.63 IQD 62.3K

42.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 618.3K

$575 IQD 752.2K

-17.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.1K

$350 IQD 457.4K

-17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 957.6K

$959 IQD 1.3M

-23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.8K

$687 IQD 898.7K

-37.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

-76.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 840.7K

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

-59.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 802.3K

$604 IQD 790.3K

1.53%

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: September 1, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Erbil and $575 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Erbil pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Erbil vs $34.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $188 per month, with Baghdad 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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil wins on cost – living expenses run 5% 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.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Erbil, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $473 in Erbil versus $575 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 94% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Erbil versus $165 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,148 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 5% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.