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 $976 in Havana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Erbil vs $1,540 in Havana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Erbil vs $2,104 in Havana, rent included.

Erbil costs about 6% more than Havana, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Erbil and Havana are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Havana 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$3.71 CUP 89.0

107.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$29.50 CUP 708

-23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$6.67 CUP 160

33.13%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$1.18 CUP 28.38

171.19%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$2.26 CUP 54.1

-78.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$1.46 CUP 35.04

-86.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$2.05 CUP 49.10

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$2.56 CUP 61.3

-16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$3.27 CUP 78.5

-59.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$1.05 CUP 25.16

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$2.41 CUP 57.9

-22.82%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-45.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$5.05 CUP 121

43.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$5.31 CUP 127

-11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$9.49 CUP 228

50.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$4.89 CUP 117

-75.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.36 CUP 32.72

-15.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$2.54 CUP 61.0

-54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$1.72 CUP 41.33

-52.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$2.83 CUP 67.9

-75.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$2.90 CUP 69.6

-74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$0.98 CUP 23.55

-25.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$1.13 CUP 27.18

-49.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$4.08 CUP 97.9

-35.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$4.04 CUP 97.0

201.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$2.02 CUP 48.41

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$2.00 CUP 47.96

-1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$1.27 CUP 30.46

-53.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$25.17 CUP 604

39.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$3.15 CUP 75.5

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$0.51 CUP 12.34

356.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$14.87 CUP 357

-54.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.22 CUP 29.36

-46.72%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

-67.02%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

-69.15%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$37.01 CUP 888

174.76%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$40.52 CUP 972

-57.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$76.1 CUP 1,827

-61.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$41.10 CUP 986

79.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$6.06 CUP 145

90.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$0.82 CUP 19.68

1291.46%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$111 CUP 2,666

136.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

-67.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$39.17 CUP 940

-14.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$33.79 CUP 811

46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$75.8 CUP 1,818

7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$84.3 CUP 2,023

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$365 CUP 8,750

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$287 CUP 6,893

-4.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

-29.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$601 CUP 14.4K

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$327 CUP 7,853

245.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$405 CUP 9,718

63.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$31.89 CUP 765

1722.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Havana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Erbil versus $365 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 1722% 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: $195 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 6%, 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 $1,464 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 25% 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 $976, 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.