Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Szombathely Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Szombathely

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,019 per month in Erbil vs $1,136 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,524 per month in Erbil vs $1,615 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,029 per month in Erbil vs $2,095 in Szombathely, rent included.

Erbil is about 10% cheaper than Szombathely, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Erbil and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 24% lower, Szombathely 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$8.69 Ft 2,713

-10.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

$43.04 Ft 13.4K

-46.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

$8.51 Ft 2,654

5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,252

$2.20 Ft 686

47.73%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$1.09 Ft 340

-55.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 289

$1.00 Ft 311

-78.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$1.56 Ft 487

28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,671

$2.15 Ft 670

-5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,727

$1.10 Ft 342

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,115

$1.55 Ft 483

-45.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 IQD 2,368

$1.90 Ft 594

-4.74%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$2.44 Ft 761

-18.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 IQD 9,745

$9.44 Ft 2,944

-21.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 IQD 6,229

$6.02 Ft 1,880

-21.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 IQD 18.3K

$14.43 Ft 4,504

-3.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$1.91 Ft 596

-39.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,514

$1.84 Ft 573

-36.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,483

$2.11 Ft 658

-46.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$2.81 Ft 876

-71.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 936

$1.12 Ft 351

-36.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 997

$1.24 Ft 386

-38.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,002

$1.73 Ft 540

-56.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 690

$0.58 Ft 180

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 IQD 3,610

$7.38 Ft 2,301

-62.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

$4.72 Ft 1,472

160.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.17 Ft 365

21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,627

$1.63 Ft 507

22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.81 Ft 254

-30.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.51 IQD 45.2K

$18.26 Ft 5,697

88.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$2.62 Ft 817

-12.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,997

$1.16 Ft 363

97.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 IQD 9,060

$22.65 Ft 7,067

-69.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$1.65 Ft 516

-57.58%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$27.5K Ft 8.6M

-30.64%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

-18.98%

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

$100 IQD 131.3K

$167 Ft 52.0K

-39.81%

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

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

$27.84 Ft 8,685

-36.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

$19.33 Ft 6,030

53.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

$45.57 Ft 14.2K

62.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 IQD 15.5K

$16.58 Ft 5,173

-28.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 IQD 15.2K

$4.24 Ft 1,323

172.88%

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

$264 IQD 345.7K

$403 Ft 125.7K

-34.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

$7,179 Ft 2.2M

-54.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.96 IQD 43.2K

$91.9 Ft 28.7K

-64.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 IQD 65.0K

$45.15 Ft 14.1K

9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 IQD 109.7K

$93.1 Ft 29.0K

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 IQD 100.5K

$98.8 Ft 30.8K

-22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 IQD 562.8K

$434 Ft 135.4K

-1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 367.7K

$319 Ft 99.5K

-12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 IQD 938.5K

$433 Ft 135.0K

65.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 IQD 637.2K

$346 Ft 107.9K

40.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

$2,561 Ft 799.2K

-56.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$652 IQD 854.1K

$2,081 Ft 649.4K

-68.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 IQD 754.2K

$1,213 Ft 378.4K

-52.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

7.5

91.07%

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

Last update for Erbil: April 26, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Erbil versus $434 in Szombathely. 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 111% higher in Szombathely, 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 $43.00 in Szombathely. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $227 – 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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Szombathely is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,528 per month in Erbil and $1,704 in Szombathely. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% more in Szombathely, 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 $43.00 in Szombathely. 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 Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Szombathely at $1,136. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szombathely it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – 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 Erbil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szombathely makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.