Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Sark Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Sark

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Erbil vs $644 in Sark, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,545 per month in Erbil vs $2,040 in Sark, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Erbil vs $3,436 in Sark, rent included.

Erbil costs about 62% more than Sark, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Erbil and Sark are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 22% lower, Sark 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$19.23 GGP 14.29

-59.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$80.2 GGP 59.6

-71.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$2.40 GGP 1.79

35.00%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$2.67 GGP 1.98

-81.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$2.04 GGP 1.51

-89.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$3.74 GGP 2.78

-47.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$3.76 GGP 2.79

-42.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$2.69 GGP 2.00

-51.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$2.78 GGP 2.06

-71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$3.53 GGP 2.62

-47.03%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$4.98 GGP 3.70

-60.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$8.30 GGP 6.17

-43.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$8.12 GGP 6.03

73.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$3.22 GGP 2.39

-64.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$4.67 GGP 3.47

-74.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$4.01 GGP 2.98

-71.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$5.37 GGP 3.99

-86.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$3.03 GGP 2.25

-76.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$3.28 GGP 2.44

-76.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$2.21 GGP 1.64

-65.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$1.49 GGP 1.11

-62.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$10.04 GGP 7.46

-73.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.87 GGP 1.39

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$2.03 GGP 1.51

-4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$2.09 GGP 1.55

-71.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$13.78 GGP 10.24

-48.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$21.88 GGP 16.25

-18.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$94.3 GGP 70.1

-68.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$2,066 GGP 1,535

-64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$1,726 GGP 1,282

-71.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

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

Last update for Erbil: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sark: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil versus $80.0 in Sark. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $297 – 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 Sark: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,565 per month in Erbil and $966 in Sark. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 53% 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 $80.0 in Sark. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sark, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Erbil at $1,043. In Sark it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sark – 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 Sark. 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.