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: $1,017 in Erbil versus $646 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Erbil versus $1,057 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Erbil versus $1,468 in Duhok.

Living in Erbil is roughly 57% more expensive than Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 24% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 IQD 9,926

$3.93 IQD 5,146

93.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.90 IQD 29.9K

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

$6.94 IQD 9,081

24.64%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,255

$2.53 IQD 3,311

28.46%

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

$0.52 IQD 675

$0.42 IQD 555

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.18 IQD 237

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,552

$1.17 IQD 1,532

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,672

$1.93 IQD 2,524

5.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,723

$1.36 IQD 1,783

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$0.86 IQD 1,124

-5.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.57 IQD 2,060

14.65%

Eggs

$1.91 IQD 2,503

$1.87 IQD 2,449

2.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 IQD 9,805

$5.24 IQD 6,857

43.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 IQD 6,308

$2.93 IQD 3,826

64.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 IQD 18.4K

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

9.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,550

$1.12 IQD 1,469

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,499

$1.20 IQD 1,565

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$0.82 IQD 1,070

39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.71 IQD 929

12.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$0.70 IQD 919

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,001

$0.70 IQD 910

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 IQD 1,007

$0.73 IQD 957

5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 720

$0.56 IQD 732

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 IQD 3,590

$1.86 IQD 2,432

47.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,792

$1.44 IQD 1,884

-4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,616

$1.97 IQD 2,575

1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.33 IQD 431

78.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 IQD 45.8K

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

120.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,939

$2.23 IQD 2,919

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,990

$1.54 IQD 2,017

48.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 IQD 8,956

$6.08 IQD 7,949

12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.66 IQD 861

-3.03%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

1.50%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

4.82%

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

$101 IQD 132.0K

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

7.60%

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

$17.35 IQD 22.7K

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

79.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.25 IQD 39.6K

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

2.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 IQD 94.3K

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

39.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.54 IQD 15.1K

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

-31.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$7.44 IQD 9,737

51.61%

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

$271 IQD 354.1K

$115 IQD 150.0K

136.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,274 IQD 4.3M

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

-1.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.30 IQD 42.2K

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

218.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 64.9K

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

151.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.0K

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

169.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 IQD 100.9K

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

289.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 IQD 555.3K

$180 IQD 235.3K

136.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 IQD 364.9K

$124 IQD 162.5K

124.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 967.8K

$367 IQD 479.6K

101.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 IQD 642.6K

$346 IQD 452.3K

42.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,098 IQD 1.4M

$471 IQD 615.6K

133.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 IQD 844.5K

$394 IQD 515.0K

63.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 IQD 772.4K

$430 IQD 562.4K

37.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

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

Last update for Erbil: June 6, 2026

Last update for Duhok: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Erbil and $180 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Erbil pays 37% 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 $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $174 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $646 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Erbil pays 37% more on average, 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: $425 in Erbil versus $180 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $271 in Erbil versus $115 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,017 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 57% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.