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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,005 per month in Erbil vs $1,126 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,530 per month in Erbil vs $1,619 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Erbil vs $2,111 in Szombathely, rent included.

Erbil is about 11% cheaper than Szombathely, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Erbil and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 25% lower, Szombathely 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$8.41 Ft 2,527

-7.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

$42.46 Ft 12.8K

-44.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$8.54 Ft 2,566

3.98%

Cappuccino

$3.27 IQD 4,279

$2.13 Ft 641

53.52%

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

$0.48 IQD 632

$1.10 Ft 330

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.96 Ft 289

-79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 IQD 2,595

$1.61 Ft 483

22.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,809

$2.13 Ft 639

0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,796

$1.11 Ft 333

23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 IQD 1,065

$1.52 Ft 455

-46.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 IQD 2,366

$1.89 Ft 569

-4.23%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,520

$2.54 Ft 763

-24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 IQD 9,716

$9.29 Ft 2,793

-20.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 IQD 6,102

$6.16 Ft 1,851

-24.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

$14.42 Ft 4,334

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,506

$1.91 Ft 575

-39.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,550

$1.91 Ft 574

-38.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,543

$2.18 Ft 654

-45.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,054

$2.82 Ft 846

-71.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$1.17 Ft 351

-39.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 991

$1.29 Ft 388

-41.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,020

$1.81 Ft 544

-56.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 722

$0.53 Ft 160

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,432

$7.01 Ft 2,105

-62.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 IQD 16.4K

$5.01 Ft 1,504

150.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,826

$1.18 Ft 355

17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 IQD 2,549

$1.55 Ft 465

25.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.84 Ft 252

-29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.05 IQD 44.6K

$17.79 Ft 5,345

91.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,937

$2.52 Ft 758

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 IQD 3,016

$1.12 Ft 337

105.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,990

$22.09 Ft 6,639

-68.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.73 Ft 520

-61.85%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$27.0K Ft 8.1M

-29.96%

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$26.3K Ft 7.9M

-22.24%

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

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

$162 Ft 48.7K

-38.65%

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

$17.70 IQD 23.2K

$27.03 Ft 8,123

-34.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.62 IQD 38.8K

$19.98 Ft 6,004

48.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 IQD 94.7K

$46.49 Ft 14.0K

55.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$16.62 Ft 4,995

-30.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 IQD 14.7K

$4.33 Ft 1,302

160.05%

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

$269 IQD 352.0K

$396 Ft 119.1K

-32.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,227 IQD 4.2M

$7,180 Ft 2.2M

-55.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.68 IQD 42.8K

$93.5 Ft 28.1K

-65.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.30 IQD 63.2K

$43.94 Ft 13.2K

9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 IQD 105.9K

$94.1 Ft 28.3K

-14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 IQD 103.0K

$99.0 Ft 29.8K

-20.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 IQD 575.5K

$427 Ft 128.4K

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 IQD 373.2K

$321 Ft 96.5K

-11.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 IQD 959.5K

$431 Ft 129.4K

70.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 IQD 643.4K

$348 Ft 104.6K

41.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,095 IQD 1.4M

$2,632 Ft 790.8K

-58.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 IQD 860.2K

$2,175 Ft 653.5K

-69.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 IQD 755.6K

$1,248 Ft 375.0K

-53.76%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Erbil versus $427 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 116% 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 $42.00 in Szombathely. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $228 – 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 12%, 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 $1,507 per month in Erbil and $1,689 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 17% 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 $42.00 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 $1,005, than in Szombathely at $1,126. 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.