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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Erbil vs $907 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Erbil vs $1,534 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,213 per month in Erbil vs $2,161 in Lusaka, rent included.

Erbil costs about 21% more than Lusaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Erbil and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 20% lower, Lusaka 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$5.70 ZMW 109

34.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$31.91 ZMW 609

40.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$5.31 ZMW 101

54.61%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

26.85%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

24.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

338.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

90.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

-31.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

-36.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

-22.37%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

-14.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$10.75 ZMW 205

-22.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$6.54 ZMW 125

-15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$6.75 ZMW 129

117.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

-69.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

-54.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

-67.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

-49.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

-72.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

-64.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

-31.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

-30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

-22.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$10.52 ZMW 201

20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

-16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$52.1 ZMW 995

-15.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

-27.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

24.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

-57.59%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

130.28%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

-28.87%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

55.60%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$11.07 ZMW 211

27.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

-50.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

14.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$15.97 ZMW 305

-9.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$6.37 ZMW 122

76.30%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$147 ZMW 2,802

112.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

-81.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$24.76 ZMW 473

25.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$16.00 ZMW 306

181.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$47.84 ZMW 914

42.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$389 ZMW 7,424

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.5K

$183 ZMW 3,492

56.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

-34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$596 ZMW 11.4K

-28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

-41.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

-87.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

$336 ZMW 6,414

82.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

-91.28%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Erbil versus $389 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 83% 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 $32.00 in Lusaka. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Erbil vs $249 in Lusaka – 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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,360 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% 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 $32.00 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 $907, than in Erbil at $1,095. 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.