Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Lome Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Lome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Erbil vs $590 in Lome, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,624 per month in Erbil vs $1,024 in Lome, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,173 per month in Erbil vs $1,458 in Lome, rent included.

Erbil costs about 82% more than Lome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Erbil and Lome are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 22% lower, Lome 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$3.09 F CFA 1,743

152.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.48 IQD 56.9K

$32.15 F CFA 18.2K

35.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 IQD 10.7K

$5.64 F CFA 3,186

45.39%

Cappuccino

$3.65 IQD 4,784

$6.16 F CFA 3,481

-40.75%

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

$1.04 IQD 1,362

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

-75.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 585

$0.74 F CFA 415

-39.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 IQD 7,810

$0.93 F CFA 527

540.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 IQD 5,839

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

149.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,665

$2.28 F CFA 1,291

-44.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$1.35 F CFA 762

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,187

$1.52 F CFA 859

9.87%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,418

$2.02 F CFA 1,139

-8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 IQD 7,485

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

$5.82 F CFA 3,288

155.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$3.14 F CFA 1,774

-63.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,521

$1.75 F CFA 991

-33.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,544

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 979

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

-71.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 997

$1.73 F CFA 977

-56.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$1.22 F CFA 692

-44.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 961

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.92 F CFA 520

-36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,305

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$4.93 F CFA 2,783

148.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 IQD 2,160

$1.16 F CFA 658

42.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,783

$1.46 F CFA 827

45.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 719

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,561

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,379

$1.20 F CFA 681

51.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 IQD 8,533

$4.42 F CFA 2,497

47.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 866

$1.19 F CFA 671

-44.54%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

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

$128 IQD 167.5K

$148 F CFA 83.8K

-13.76%

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

$13.86 IQD 18.1K

$22.34 F CFA 12.6K

-37.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.91 IQD 36.6K

$44.11 F CFA 24.9K

-36.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

$61.7 F CFA 34.8K

5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 IQD 19.2K

$9.01 F CFA 5,090

62.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 IQD 15.2K

$4.51 F CFA 2,547

156.76%

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

$314 IQD 411.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 IQD 4.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.66 IQD 40.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.68 IQD 59.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 IQD 89.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 IQD 90.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 IQD 616.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 IQD 385.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 IQD 953.1K

$1,224 F CFA 691.5K

-40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 IQD 568.3K

$301 F CFA 170.3K

43.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,096 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 IQD 846.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 796.3K

$309 F CFA 174.6K

96.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

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

Last update for Erbil: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lome: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 97% 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 $43.00 in Erbil versus $32.00 in Lome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $145 – making Lome 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 Lome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 82%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,612 per month in Erbil and $885 in Lome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Erbil and $32.00 in Lome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lome, where all-in costs run around $590, than in Erbil at $1,074. In Lome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lome – 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 Lome. 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.