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: $1,032 in Erbil versus $646 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,545 in Erbil versus $1,042 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,059 in Erbil versus $1,437 in Duhok.

Living in Erbil is roughly 60% more expensive than in Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,869

$3.82 IQD 4,994

97.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

23.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 IQD 11.4K

$7.18 IQD 9,392

21.17%

Cappuccino

$3.09 IQD 4,038

$2.64 IQD 3,452

17.05%

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

$0.48 IQD 627

$0.40 IQD 522

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.18 IQD 233

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,520

$1.13 IQD 1,482

70.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,721

$1.87 IQD 2,449

11.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,805

$1.37 IQD 1,786

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 IQD 1,133

$0.82 IQD 1,067

6.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 IQD 2,342

$1.57 IQD 2,050

14.01%

Eggs

$1.96 IQD 2,560

$1.88 IQD 2,462

4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 IQD 9,902

$5.22 IQD 6,825

45.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 IQD 6,074

$2.94 IQD 3,840

57.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 IQD 18.7K

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

13.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,562

$1.12 IQD 1,460

6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$1.14 IQD 1,494

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,560

$0.82 IQD 1,071

45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 983

$0.75 IQD 977

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 882

$0.72 IQD 939

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.71 IQD 924

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,029

$0.77 IQD 1,011

2.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 678

$0.56 IQD 726

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 IQD 3,456

$1.87 IQD 2,450

41.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 IQD 16.3K

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,806

$1.38 IQD 1,802

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 IQD 2,608

$2.00 IQD 2,610

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 718

$0.35 IQD 460

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.25 IQD 44.8K

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

115.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,985

$2.35 IQD 3,079

-2.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 IQD 3,005

$1.51 IQD 1,979

52.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,833

$6.04 IQD 7,901

11.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 850

$0.64 IQD 835

1.56%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

2.60%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

2.73%

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

$99.5 IQD 130.2K

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

6.71%

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

$17.78 IQD 23.3K

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

77.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.25 IQD 39.6K

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

-0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.5K

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

41.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.46 IQD 15.0K

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

-31.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

51.43%

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

$268 IQD 350.6K

$112 IQD 146.9K

138.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,286 IQD 4.3M

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

1.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.35 IQD 43.6K

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

236.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.04 IQD 64.1K

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

149.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.5K

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

171.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 IQD 101.1K

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

283.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 IQD 559.2K

$181 IQD 236.5K

136.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 IQD 360.9K

$123 IQD 160.4K

125.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 IQD 954.7K

$374 IQD 489.8K

94.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 IQD 645.3K

$345 IQD 450.6K

43.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,121 IQD 1.5M

$460 IQD 601.6K

143.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$644 IQD 842.4K

$385 IQD 503.8K

67.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 IQD 761.7K

$431 IQD 564.3K

34.99%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Duhok: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Erbil and $181 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Erbil pays 35% 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 $196 vs $172 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 60% in total monthly costs ($1,032 vs $646 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $428 in Erbil versus $181 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $268 in Erbil versus $112 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,032 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 60% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.