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: $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,155 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Erbil versus $1,754 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,213 in Erbil versus $2,354 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Erbil costs roughly 5% less than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 20% lower, Castelo Branco 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$11.46 €9.85

-33.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$40.39 €34.73

11.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$9.86 €8.47

-16.73%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$1.34 €1.15

182.09%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$1.41 €1.22

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$1.27 €1.09

-67.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$1.13 €0.97

428.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$2.36 €2.03

88.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$1.22 €1.05

4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$1.33 €1.14

-40.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.50 €1.29

13.33%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$4.05 €3.49

-56.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$9.52 €8.18

-12.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$6.05 €5.20

-8.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$9.00 €7.74

63.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$2.19 €1.89

-49.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.33 €1.14

-13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$1.85 €1.59

-34.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$2.42 €2.08

-66.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$1.73 €1.48

-57.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.56 €1.34

-55.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$1.23 €1.06

-35.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$0.81 €0.70

-28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$6.08 €5.23

-58.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$3.46 €2.98

265.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$1.21 €1.04

38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$2.01 €1.73

2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.32 €1.13

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$23.05 €19.81

90.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.39 €2.05

-19.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$0.83 €0.72

109.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$17.52 €15.06

-62.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$2.19 €1.88

-69.41%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$34.8K €30.0K

-48.51%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$42.4K €36.4K

-53.53%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$125 €107

4.40%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$19.42 €16.70

-27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$34.33 €29.51

-18.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$39.88 €34.28

61.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$7.17 €6.17

56.62%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$705 €606

-55.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$17.7K €15.3K

-82.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$81.2 €69.8

-61.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$46.95 €40.36

-4.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$85.2 €73.2

-19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$69.2 €59.5

-1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$477 €410

-0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.5K

$384 €330

-25.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$848 €729

-13.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$648 €557

-34.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$1,643 €1,412

-32.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$1,410 €1,213

-54.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

$1,695 €1,457

-63.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

3.79

-33.25%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Erbil and $477 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 176% 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: $45.00 in Erbil vs $40.00 in Castelo Branco. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $212, 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 Castelo Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 176% 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: $473 in Erbil versus $477 in Castelo Branco. 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 $1,155 in Castelo Branco – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Erbil runs roughly 90% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,095 in Erbil versus $1,155 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 5% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.