Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Castelo Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Castelo Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Erbil versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,522 in Erbil versus $1,702 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,010 in Erbil versus $2,303 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Erbil costs roughly 6% less than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Castelo Branco 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$11.59 €10.12

-33.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$40.01 €34.96

-43.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$9.69 €8.46

-8.36%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$1.38 €1.20

131.88%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$1.72 €1.51

-72.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$1.12 €0.97

-82.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$1.43 €1.25

34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$4.11 €3.59

-47.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.06 €0.92

23.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$1.25 €1.10

-32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.66 €1.45

12.05%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$2.77 €2.42

-28.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$9.24 €8.07

-21.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$4.90 €4.28

-3.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$8.48 €7.41

67.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$1.84 €1.61

-35.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.35 €1.18

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.24 €1.08

-7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$2.54 €2.22

-68.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$1.01 €0.88

-32.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$1.67 €1.46

-55.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$1.24 €1.08

-41.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.70 €0.61

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$6.64 €5.80

-60.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$3.44 €3.00

254.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$0.83 €0.72

67.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$1.06 €0.93

85.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$1.17 €1.03

-49.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$41.77 €36.49

-15.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$2.30 €2.01

-2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$0.71 €0.62

228.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$17.38 €15.19

-61.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.98 €1.73

-67.17%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$35.2K €30.7K

-44.86%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$39.5K €34.5K

-47.28%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$98.7 €86.2

3.06%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$21.98 €19.21

-20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$43.18 €37.73

-31.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$42.51 €37.14

73.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$7.48 €6.54

52.54%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$627 €547

-58.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$16.0K €14.0K

-79.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$57.5 €50.2

-41.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$67.3 €58.8

-26.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$72.6 €63.4

11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$57.6 €50.3

32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$512 €447

-16.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$383 €335

-28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$700 €612

4.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$648 €566

-23.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$1,617 €1,413

-30.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$1,380 €1,206

-52.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$1,627 €1,422

-64.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

5.43

163.90%

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

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Erbil and $512 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 180% 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 $40.00 in Castelo Branco. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $186, with Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 180% lower in Castelo Branco. 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 $512 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Erbil versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Erbil runs roughly 19% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Erbil versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Erbil but tight or insufficient in Castelo Branco. 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 Castelo Branco 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 7% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.