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 $855 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Erbil vs $1,450 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Erbil vs $2,045 in Lusaka, rent included.

Erbil costs about 21% more than Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Erbil and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.01 ZMW 128

9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$24.68 ZMW 449

-8.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

140.00%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

65.80%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

-28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

105.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

16.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

-1.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

17.72%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$7.92 ZMW 144

-8.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

24.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

200.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

-53.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

-26.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

-57.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

-30.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

-62.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

-43.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

-20.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$10.63 ZMW 194

14.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

25.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

-38.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$39.17 ZMW 713

-10.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

-19.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

99.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$9.20 ZMW 167

-26.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

-45.38%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

145.87%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

-26.70%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

12.10%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$53.4 ZMW 972

-67.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$123 ZMW 2,239

-75.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$45.44 ZMW 827

62.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$13.65 ZMW 248

-15.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

168.47%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$178 ZMW 3,232

47.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

-65.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$18.67 ZMW 340

79.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$17.20 ZMW 313

188.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$228 ZMW 4,157

87.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$125 ZMW 2,273

120.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

-28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$593 ZMW 10.8K

-16.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

-40.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

-95.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$287 ZMW 5,215

102.79%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Erbil versus $228 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 103% 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 – $195 in Erbil vs $178 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 21%, 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 $1,283 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 9% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,034 in Erbil and $855 in Lusaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.