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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Erbil vs $877 in Havana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Erbil vs $1,453 in Havana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,213 per month in Erbil vs $2,029 in Havana, rent included.

Erbil costs about 25% more than Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Erbil and Havana are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 20% lower, Havana 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$3.81 CUP 91.4

101.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$27.24 CUP 654

64.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$4.99 CUP 120

64.53%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$1.08 CUP 26.03

250.00%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$1.68 CUP 40.26

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$1.01 CUP 24.33

-59.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$1.56 CUP 37.42

282.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$1.99 CUP 47.65

123.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$3.79 CUP 90.9

-66.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$1.52 CUP 36.47

-48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$2.14 CUP 51.4

-20.56%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$3.62 CUP 86.9

-51.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$4.37 CUP 105

89.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$4.58 CUP 110

20.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$8.70 CUP 209

68.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$5.94 CUP 142

-81.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.09 CUP 26.17

5.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$3.85 CUP 92.3

-68.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$2.33 CUP 55.9

-65.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$3.71 CUP 89.0

-80.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$4.07 CUP 97.6

-83.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.81 CUP 19.55

-2.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$1.40 CUP 33.68

-58.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$1.94 CUP 46.68

29.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$4.09 CUP 98.2

209.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$1.53 CUP 36.68

9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$2.07 CUP 49.64

-0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.23 CUP 29.63

-51.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$22.69 CUP 545

93.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.63 CUP 63.0

-26.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$0.44 CUP 10.47

295.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$20.37 CUP 489

-68.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$1.25 CUP 29.97

-46.40%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

-70.63%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

-67.70%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$47.74 CUP 1,146

172.64%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$39.30 CUP 943

-64.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$90.8 CUP 2,179

-69.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$19.09 CUP 458

238.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$13.13 CUP 315

10.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$0.82 CUP 19.65

1269.51%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$113 CUP 2,708

176.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

-56.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$37.64 CUP 903

-17.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$36.87 CUP 885

22.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$69.9 CUP 1,678

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$56.9 CUP 1,367

19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$256 CUP 6,148

84.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.5K

$216 CUP 5,184

32.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$949 CUP 22.8K

-22.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$538 CUP 12.9K

-20.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$334 CUP 8,012

233.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$399 CUP 9,564

61.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

$33.40 CUP 802

1736.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

9.1

-72.20%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Erbil versus $256 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 1737% 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 $45.00 in Erbil versus $27.00 in Havana. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Erbil vs $261 in Havana – so Erbil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,643 per month in Erbil and $1,316 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 28% 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 $45.00 in Erbil and $27.00 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 $877, than in Erbil at $1,095. 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.