Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $876 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,548 per month in Erbil vs $1,489 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Erbil vs $2,103 in Lusaka, rent included.

Erbil costs about 18% more than Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Erbil and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$7.11 ZMW 127

8.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$24.96 ZMW 446

-8.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

147.38%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

55.72%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

-32.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

108.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

13.92%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$7.86 ZMW 140

-4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

212.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

-54.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

-24.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

-55.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

-35.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

-62.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

-47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$10.95 ZMW 195

14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

34.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$38.24 ZMW 683

-10.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

-15.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

91.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$8.92 ZMW 159

-22.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

-41.18%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

139.73%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

-27.12%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

13.72%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$53.6 ZMW 956

-66.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$127 ZMW 2,263

-76.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$45.11 ZMW 805

61.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$13.99 ZMW 250

-15.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

170.86%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$177 ZMW 3,161

51.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

-65.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$19.25 ZMW 344

70.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$17.27 ZMW 308

180.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

-5.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$224 ZMW 4,007

89.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$120 ZMW 2,148

131.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

-31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$585 ZMW 10.4K

-17.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

-43.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

-84.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$296 ZMW 5,286

97.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

-42.68%

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

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Erbil versus $224 in Lusaka. 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 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 $23.00 in Erbil versus $25.00 in Lusaka. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Erbil vs $177 in Lusaka – so Lusaka 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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,313 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $23.00 in Erbil and $25.00 in Lusaka. 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 Lusaka, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Erbil at $1,034. In Lusaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lusaka – 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 Lusaka. 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.