Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Burgas Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Burgas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Erbil vs $1,206 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Erbil vs $1,826 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Erbil vs $2,446 in Burgas, rent included.

Erbil is about 9% cheaper than Burgas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Erbil and Burgas are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 19% lower, Burgas 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$14.55 BGN 24.20

-47.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 IQD 58.0K

$47.64 BGN 79.3

-6.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

$10.46 BGN 17.40

-19.50%

Cappuccino

$3.84 IQD 5,021

$3.46 BGN 5.75

10.98%

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

$1.03 IQD 1,352

$1.11 BGN 1.85

-7.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 579

$0.77 BGN 1.28

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 IQD 7,911

$2.12 BGN 3.53

185.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 IQD 6,159

$3.04 BGN 5.05

54.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,655

$1.74 BGN 2.90

-27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,082

$0.94 BGN 1.57

-11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 IQD 2,195

$2.16 BGN 3.59

-22.22%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,342

$3.50 BGN 5.82

-48.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 IQD 10.5K

$9.17 BGN 15.25

-12.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 IQD 7,566

$8.22 BGN 13.67

-29.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

$11.41 BGN 18.98

30.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,481

$2.24 BGN 3.73

-49.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,442

$2.10 BGN 3.49

-47.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,610

$2.03 BGN 3.37

-39.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,067

$2.59 BGN 4.30

-68.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 910

$1.35 BGN 2.25

-48.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$1.40 BGN 2.32

-50.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 968

$0.94 BGN 1.57

-21.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 722

$0.76 BGN 1.27

-27.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,290

$3.56 BGN 5.93

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

$7.11 BGN 11.83

76.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,215

$1.01 BGN 1.68

67.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,732

$1.91 BGN 3.17

9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.94 BGN 1.56

-37.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 IQD 57.3K

$34.76 BGN 57.8

26.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,541

$1.82 BGN 3.02

6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,378

$0.79 BGN 1.31

130.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 IQD 8,579

$12.49 BGN 20.78

-47.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 881

$1.69 BGN 2.82

-60.36%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

-40.46%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$23.1K BGN 38.4K

-12.81%

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

$128 IQD 166.8K

$109 BGN 181

17.48%

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

$13.95 IQD 18.2K

$15.21 BGN 25.30

-8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

$12.26 BGN 20.40

132.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 IQD 86.3K

$39.75 BGN 66.1

65.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

$14.71 BGN 24.47

-0.61%

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$8.98 BGN 14.93

29.96%

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

$309 IQD 404.6K

$232 BGN 386

33.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

$15.4K BGN 25.6K

-79.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

$60.4 BGN 100

-48.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

$29.78 BGN 49.54

50.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 IQD 90.6K

$73.5 BGN 122

-5.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 IQD 88.2K

$77.4 BGN 129

-12.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 IQD 601.8K

$534 BGN 888

-13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 IQD 389.0K

$435 BGN 724

-31.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 968.4K

$819 BGN 1,363

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 IQD 565.5K

$653 BGN 1,087

-33.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

$2,612 BGN 4,346

-58.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 IQD 869.8K

$1,881 BGN 3,129

-64.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 IQD 802.9K

$1,059 BGN 1,762

-42.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

3.25

-22.15%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Burgas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Erbil versus $534 in Burgas. 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 72% higher in Burgas, 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 $48.00 in Burgas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $240 – making Erbil 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 Burgas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,101 in Erbil, $1,206 in Burgas – roughly 10% apart. Burgas costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,652 per month in Erbil and $1,809 in Burgas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 26% less in Erbil. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Erbil and $232 in Burgas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Burgas at $1,206. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burgas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Burgas has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,101 in Erbil to $1,206 in Burgas. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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