Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Bytom Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Bytom

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,523 in Bytom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Erbil versus $2,204 in Bytom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,213 in Erbil versus $2,885 in Bytom.

Living in Erbil costs roughly 28% less than in Bytom, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Erbil is 20% below, Bytom is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$10.72 zł 40.07

-28.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$37.93 zł 142

18.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$9.29 zł 34.73

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$3.73 zł 13.93

1.34%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$2.32 zł 8.69

-56.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$1.90 zł 7.11

-78.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$3.67 zł 13.73

62.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$4.89 zł 18.26

-9.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$1.10 zł 4.10

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$1.26 zł 4.72

-37.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.59 zł 5.93

6.92%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$3.36 zł 12.55

-47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$9.57 zł 35.76

-13.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$5.90 zł 22.04

-6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$12.34 zł 46.14

18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$1.13 zł 4.22

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.68 zł 6.28

-31.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$1.66 zł 6.19

-26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$2.67 zł 9.98

-69.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$0.94 zł 3.53

-21.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.87 zł 3.24

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$1.30 zł 4.88

-39.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$0.69 zł 2.59

-15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$5.82 zł 21.74

-56.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$6.84 zł 25.57

84.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$1.09 zł 4.09

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$1.72 zł 6.43

19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.30 zł 4.86

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$36.26 zł 136

21.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$1.85 zł 6.93

4.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$0.77 zł 2.89

125.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$10.59 zł 39.59

-38.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$1.61 zł 6.03

-58.39%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$31.8K zł 118.8K

-43.52%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$29.2K zł 109.0K

-32.42%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$348 zł 1,299

-62.54%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$8.37 zł 31.28

67.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$17.61 zł 65.8

58.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$39.29 zł 147

64.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$24.83 zł 92.8

-41.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$7.46 zł 27.88

50.54%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$500 zł 1,868

-37.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$12.6K zł 47.0K

-75.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$71.3 zł 267

-56.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$32.97 zł 123

36.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$93.8 zł 351

-27.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$96.0 zł 359

-29.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$548 zł 2,049

-13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.5K

$519 zł 1,939

-44.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$1,047 zł 3,913

-30.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$861 zł 3,217

-50.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$3,053 zł 11.4K

-63.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$2,374 zł 8,874

-72.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

7.17

-64.71%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bytom: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Erbil and $548 in Bytom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Erbil vs $38.00 in Bytom. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $215, with Erbil 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 Bytom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Bytom. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Erbil the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,643 in Erbil and $2,284 in Bytom to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $473 in Erbil versus $548 in Bytom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,095 per month in Erbil versus $1,523 in Bytom – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Erbil runs roughly 21% less than in Bytom. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,523 in Bytom, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Bytom. 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 Bytom 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 39% less than in Bytom. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.