Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Duhok Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Duhok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Erbil versus $663 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,624 in Erbil versus $1,064 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in Erbil versus $1,466 in Duhok.

Living in Erbil is roughly 62% more expensive than in Duhok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 22% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$3.84 IQD 5,024

103.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.48 IQD 56.9K

$18.93 IQD 24.8K

129.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 IQD 10.7K

$8.62 IQD 11.3K

-4.87%

Cappuccino

$3.65 IQD 4,784

$2.81 IQD 3,684

29.89%

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

$1.04 IQD 1,362

$0.40 IQD 518

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 585

$0.21 IQD 269

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 IQD 7,809

$1.88 IQD 2,464

217.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 IQD 5,839

$2.35 IQD 3,074

89.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,664

$1.23 IQD 1,611

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$0.78 IQD 1,027

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,187

$1.76 IQD 2,311

-5.11%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,418

$1.85 IQD 2,429

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

$4.91 IQD 6,436

70.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 IQD 7,485

$3.09 IQD 4,041

85.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

$12.88 IQD 16.9K

15.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.08 IQD 1,408

6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,521

$1.11 IQD 1,450

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,544

$0.81 IQD 1,065

45.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 979

$0.69 IQD 904

8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 997

$0.75 IQD 976

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.69 IQD 901

-1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 961

$0.80 IQD 1,045

-8.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.59 IQD 772

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,305

$1.92 IQD 2,517

31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 IQD 2,160

$1.64 IQD 2,147

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,783

$2.05 IQD 2,686

3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 719

$0.36 IQD 466

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

$15.53 IQD 20.3K

185.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,561

$1.86 IQD 2,436

5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,379

$1.43 IQD 1,875

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 IQD 8,533

$5.83 IQD 7,629

11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 866

$0.67 IQD 879

-1.49%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

-2.64%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

-1.51%

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

$128 IQD 167.5K

$92.3 IQD 120.8K

38.64%

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

$13.86 IQD 18.1K

$9.76 IQD 12.8K

42.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.91 IQD 36.6K

$28.23 IQD 37.0K

-1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

21.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 IQD 19.2K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-52.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 IQD 15.2K

$7.55 IQD 9,883

53.38%

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

$314 IQD 411.2K

$111 IQD 145.6K

182.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 IQD 4.0M

$3,151 IQD 4.1M

-2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.66 IQD 40.2K

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

201.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.68 IQD 59.8K

$20.16 IQD 26.4K

126.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 IQD 89.0K

$30.16 IQD 39.5K

125.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 IQD 90.1K

$20.11 IQD 26.3K

242.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 IQD 616.0K

$179 IQD 234.5K

162.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 IQD 385.1K

$125 IQD 163.7K

135.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 IQD 953.0K

$366 IQD 479.6K

98.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 IQD 568.3K

$338 IQD 442.9K

28.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,096 IQD 1.4M

$477 IQD 625.2K

129.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 IQD 846.5K

$391 IQD 512.6K

65.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 796.3K

$455 IQD 595.5K

33.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

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

Last update for Erbil: September 6, 2026

Last update for Duhok: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Erbil and $179 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Erbil pays 34% 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: $43.00 in Erbil vs $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $173 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil and Duhok differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,074 vs $663 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Erbil, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $470 in Erbil versus $179 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $314 in Erbil versus $111 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $663 in Duhok versus $1,074 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Erbil. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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 Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.