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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Erbil vs $1,258 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Erbil vs $2,005 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Erbil vs $2,753 in Szombathely, rent included.

Erbil is about 12% cheaper than Szombathely, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Erbil and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 19% lower, Szombathely 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$12.59 Ft 3,980

-38.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 IQD 58.0K

$56.0 Ft 17.7K

-20.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 IQD 11.0K

$8.98 Ft 2,839

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$3.84 IQD 5,021

$2.47 Ft 780

55.47%

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

$1.03 IQD 1,352

$1.40 Ft 441

-26.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 579

$1.33 Ft 422

-66.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 IQD 7,911

$1.85 Ft 586

227.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 IQD 6,159

$2.42 Ft 764

94.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,655

$1.23 Ft 390

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,082

$1.71 Ft 540

-51.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 IQD 2,195

$2.45 Ft 774

-31.43%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,342

$3.43 Ft 1,084

-47.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 IQD 10.5K

$10.60 Ft 3,352

-23.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 IQD 7,566

$6.99 Ft 2,211

-17.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 IQD 19.4K

$16.95 Ft 5,359

-12.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,481

$2.31 Ft 731

-51.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,442

$2.13 Ft 675

-48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,610

$2.56 Ft 811

-51.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,067

$3.44 Ft 1,086

-76.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 910

$1.17 Ft 369

-40.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$1.44 Ft 454

-52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 968

$1.90 Ft 601

-61.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 722

$0.61 Ft 192

-9.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,290

$8.56 Ft 2,708

-70.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

$4.73 Ft 1,495

165.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,215

$1.32 Ft 417

28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,732

$2.66 Ft 841

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.86 Ft 273

-31.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 IQD 57.3K

$27.69 Ft 8,755

58.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,541

$2.85 Ft 901

-31.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,378

$1.40 Ft 443

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 IQD 8,579

$24.55 Ft 7,762

-73.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 881

$1.89 Ft 598

-64.55%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$29.8K Ft 9.4M

-38.45%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$33.9K Ft 10.7M

-40.66%

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

$128 IQD 166.8K

$173 Ft 54.6K

-26.23%

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

$13.95 IQD 18.2K

$21.19 Ft 6,700

-34.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 IQD 37.3K

$21.29 Ft 6,730

33.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 IQD 86.3K

$49.16 Ft 15.5K

34.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 IQD 19.1K

$20.03 Ft 6,332

-27.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$4.63 Ft 1,464

152.05%

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

$309 IQD 404.6K

$437 Ft 138.1K

-29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,144 IQD 4.1M

$8,042 Ft 2.5M

-60.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.32 IQD 41.0K

$104 Ft 33.0K

-70.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 IQD 58.7K

$53.5 Ft 16.9K

-16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 IQD 90.6K

$99.1 Ft 31.3K

-30.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 IQD 88.2K

$116 Ft 36.7K

-41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 IQD 601.8K

$543 Ft 171.8K

-15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 IQD 389.0K

$353 Ft 111.7K

-15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 IQD 968.4K

$769 Ft 243.3K

-3.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 IQD 565.5K

$681 Ft 215.2K

-36.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,092 IQD 1.4M

$2,489 Ft 786.9K

-56.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 IQD 869.8K

$2,030 Ft 641.9K

-67.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 IQD 802.9K

$1,186 Ft 375.0K

-48.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

7.5

-66.27%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Erbil versus $543 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 93% 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 $44.00 in Erbil versus $56.0 in Szombathely. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $265 – 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 14%, 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 $1,652 per month in Erbil and $1,887 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 30% 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 $44.00 in Erbil and $56.0 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 $1,101, than in Szombathely at $1,258. 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.