Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Castelo Branco

For one person, living is cheaper in Erbil: $956 a month against $1,100 in Castelo Branco, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Castelo Branco
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Castelo Branco Living Index

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Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$956

/mo nomad

Castelo Branco

🇵🇹 Portugal

$1,100

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Erbil and in Castelo Branco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Erbil and in Castelo Branco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $956 in Erbil versus $1,100 in Castelo Branco.

Erbil $956
Castelo Branco $1,100

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,421 in Erbil versus $1,666 in Castelo Branco.

Erbil $1,421
Castelo Branco $1,666

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,887 in Erbil versus $2,233 in Castelo Branco.

Erbil $1,887
Castelo Branco $2,233

Living in Erbil costs roughly 13% less than in Castelo Branco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 29% lower, Castelo Branco 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 IQD 9,753

$11.29 €10.05

-42.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.44 IQD 55.1K

$39.12 €34.80

-6.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 10.7K

$9.62 €8.56

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$3.23 IQD 4,873

$1.25 €1.11

158.40%

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

$0.89 IQD 1,338

$1.41 €1.25

-36.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 IQD 503

$1.26 €1.12

-73.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 IQD 7,819

$1.09 €0.97

374.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 IQD 5,825

$2.20 €1.96

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 IQD 1,600

$1.17 €1.04

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 1,101

$1.30 €1.16

-43.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 2,300

$1.45 €1.29

4.83%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,373

$3.87 €3.44

-59.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 IQD 10.4K

$8.76 €7.79

-21.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 IQD 6,458

$5.80 €5.16

-26.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 IQD 18.9K

$8.58 €7.63

45.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,501

$2.11 €1.88

-53.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,495

$1.31 €1.17

-24.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,555

$1.75 €1.56

-41.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 988

$2.30 €2.05

-71.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 964

$1.65 €1.47

-61.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 925

$1.45 €1.29

-57.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 909

$1.14 €1.02

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 709

$0.81 €0.72

-41.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 IQD 3,250

$5.97 €5.31

-63.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 IQD 16.3K

$3.39 €3.01

218.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 IQD 2,222

$1.17 €1.04

25.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,825

$1.95 €1.73

-4.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 IQD 718

$1.25 €1.11

-61.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.85 IQD 58.7K

$22.20 €19.75

75.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 IQD 2,531

$2.25 €2.00

-25.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 IQD 2,421

$0.74 €0.66

116.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 IQD 8,566

$16.67 €14.83

-65.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 825

$2.04 €1.82

-73.04%

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

$16.3K IQD 24.7M

$33.5K €29.8K

-51.23%

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

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

$40.5K €36.0K

-58.08%

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

$113 IQD 170.3K

$120 €106

-5.80%

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

$12.21 IQD 18.4K

$19.03 €16.92

-35.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.30 IQD 36.7K

$31.99 €28.45

-24.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 IQD 85.5K

$39.32 €34.97

43.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.33 IQD 20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 IQD 15.1K

$6.70 €5.96

49.25%

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

$315 IQD 476.0K

$678 €603

-53.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,809 IQD 4.2M

$16.9K €15.1K

-83.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.70 IQD 40.3K

$78.7 €70.0

-66.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.59 IQD 59.8K

$44.71 €39.77

-11.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 IQD 89.7K

$82.1 €73.0

-27.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 IQD 89.8K

$67.6 €60.2

-12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 IQD 639.7K

$458 €407

-7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 415.2K

$363 €323

-24.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 IQD 1.1M

$796 €708

-11.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 IQD 613.1K

$605 €538

-32.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,047 IQD 1.6M

$1,574 €1,400

-33.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 IQD 919.3K

$1,322 €1,176

-53.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 IQD 793.9K

$1,617 €1,438

-67.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

3.85

-34.29%

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

Last update for Erbil: October 11, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Erbil

$275 28.7%

Castelo Branco

$363 33% 32.1% $88

Groceries & Markets

Erbil

$172 18%

Castelo Branco

$203 18.4% 17.8% $31

Eating Out

Erbil

$150 15.7%

Castelo Branco

$155 14.1% 3.1% $4.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Erbil

$149 15.6%

Castelo Branco

$171 15.5% 14.4% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Erbil

$83 8.7%

Castelo Branco

$123 11.2% 47.6% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Erbil

$77 8%

Castelo Branco

$53 4.8% 31.2% $24

Getting Around

Erbil

$50 5.3%

Castelo Branco

$33 3% 34.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Erbil and $458 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 208% 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: $36.00 in Erbil vs $39.00 in Castelo Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $203 per month, with Erbil cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Erbil

🇵🇹 Castelo Branco

🕒 Local time

16:22 4:22 PM

14:22 2:22 PM

2 h behind Erbil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,713,461

52,291

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Erbil Castelo Branco 4,470 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Erbil
Castelo Branco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 208% 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: $423 in Erbil versus $458 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $956 per month in Erbil versus $1,100 in Castelo Branco – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Erbil runs roughly 75% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $956 in Erbil versus $1,100 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 15% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.