Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Havana Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Havana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $964 in Havana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,548 per month in Erbil vs $1,538 in Havana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Erbil vs $2,112 in Havana, rent included.

Erbil costs about 7% more than Havana, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Erbil and Havana are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Havana 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$3.71 CUP 89.0

108.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$29.74 CUP 714

-23.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$6.47 CUP 155

38.79%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$1.24 CUP 29.75

152.42%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$2.22 CUP 53.4

-77.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$1.52 CUP 36.56

-86.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$2.01 CUP 48.25

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.46 CUP 59.1

-13.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$3.36 CUP 80.7

-60.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$1.07 CUP 25.70

-21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$2.35 CUP 56.4

-23.40%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-44.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$4.93 CUP 118

52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$5.29 CUP 127

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$9.56 CUP 229

49.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$5.03 CUP 121

-77.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.38 CUP 33.13

-13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$2.42 CUP 58.2

-50.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$1.69 CUP 40.54

-55.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$2.81 CUP 67.4

-75.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$2.77 CUP 66.5

-74.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$1.02 CUP 24.57

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$1.14 CUP 27.35

-53.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$3.90 CUP 93.6

-32.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$3.97 CUP 95.3

216.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$2.09 CUP 50.2

-30.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$1.93 CUP 46.22

4.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$1.28 CUP 30.74

-57.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$24.77 CUP 595

37.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$3.13 CUP 75.0

-24.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$0.48 CUP 11.53

358.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$15.13 CUP 363

-54.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$1.26 CUP 30.30

-44.44%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

-68.40%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

-69.06%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$37.68 CUP 904

171.87%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$40.35 CUP 968

-55.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$74.3 CUP 1,782

-60.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$40.12 CUP 963

81.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$6.12 CUP 147

92.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$0.88 CUP 21.16

1220.45%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$114 CUP 2,741

135.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

-67.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$40.14 CUP 963

-18.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$33.68 CUP 808

43.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$75.1 CUP 1,802

7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$84.5 CUP 2,027

-9.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$371 CUP 8,905

14.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$291 CUP 6,982

-4.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

-28.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$596 CUP 14.3K

-18.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$335 CUP 8,037

235.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$406 CUP 9,742

62.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$33.02 CUP 792

1669.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

7.43

92.87%

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

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Erbil versus $371 in Havana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1669% higher in Erbil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil versus $30.00 in Havana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $243 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil and $1,447 in Havana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Havana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Erbil – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil and $30.00 in Havana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Havana, where all-in costs run around $964, than in Erbil at $1,034. In Havana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Havana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Havana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.