Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Baghdadi Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Baghdadi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Erbil vs $472 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Erbil vs $766 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Erbil vs $1,059 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Erbil costs about 133% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Erbil and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 19% lower, Baghdadi 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

$14.10 IQD 18.5K

214.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

Cappuccino

$3.84 IQD 5,027

$1.85 IQD 2,420

107.57%

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

$1.03 IQD 1,353

$0.38 IQD 501

171.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 580

$0.21 IQD 273

109.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 IQD 6,166

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,657

$1.02 IQD 1,331

24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,083

$0.49 IQD 643

69.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 IQD 2,197

$2.68 IQD 3,511

-37.31%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,345

$1.84 IQD 2,412

-2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 IQD 10.6K

$6.77 IQD 8,859

19.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 IQD 7,574

$3.29 IQD 4,311

75.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

$8.09 IQD 10.6K

83.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,483

$1.03 IQD 1,348

9.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,443

$1.02 IQD 1,331

7.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$1.02 IQD 1,333

20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,068

$0.24 IQD 314

241.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.24 IQD 314

191.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$0.63 IQD 822

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 969

$0.52 IQD 686

42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 723

$0.58 IQD 755

-5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,294

$1.01 IQD 1,324

149.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

$15.10 IQD 19.8K

-16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,217

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,735

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.29 IQD 375

103.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 IQD 57.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,544

$4.96 IQD 6,501

-60.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,381

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 IQD 8,588

$6.94 IQD 9,094

-5.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 882

$0.42 IQD 546

59.52%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

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

$128 IQD 167.0K

$49.70 IQD 65.1K

156.56%

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

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

93.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 IQD 86.4K

$59.3 IQD 77.7K

11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$8.10 IQD 10.6K

44.07%

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

$309 IQD 405.1K

$78.6 IQD 102.9K

293.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

$5,014 IQD 6.6M

-37.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

$15.04 IQD 19.7K

108.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 IQD 90.7K

$24.60 IQD 32.2K

181.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 IQD 88.3K

$39.57 IQD 51.8K

70.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 IQD 602.5K

$153 IQD 200.3K

200.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 IQD 389.4K

$49.10 IQD 64.3K

505.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 969.5K

$457 IQD 598.6K

61.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 IQD 566.1K

$152 IQD 199.1K

184.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

$1,507 IQD 2.0M

-27.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 IQD 870.8K

$499 IQD 652.8K

33.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 IQD 803.9K

$491 IQD 643.1K

25.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

-74.70%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Erbil versus $153 in Baghdadi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Erbil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Erbil versus $14.00 in Baghdadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $152 – making Baghdadi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Baghdadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 133%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,652 per month in Erbil and $709 in Baghdadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baghdadi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Erbil and $14.00 in Baghdadi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Baghdadi, where all-in costs run around $472, than in Erbil at $1,101. In Baghdadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baghdadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Baghdadi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.