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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Erbil vs $1,149 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,545 per month in Erbil vs $1,635 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Erbil vs $2,121 in Szombathely, rent included.

Erbil is about 9% cheaper than Szombathely, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Erbil and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 22% lower, Szombathely 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$8.41 Ft 2,661

-6.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

-45.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$8.59 Ft 2,717

4.89%

Cappuccino

$3.24 IQD 4,240

$2.11 Ft 667

53.55%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$1.11 Ft 350

-55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.99 Ft 313

-77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 IQD 2,562

$1.57 Ft 496

24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.22 Ft 703

-2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,718

$1.07 Ft 338

22.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$1.57 Ft 496

-49.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.89 Ft 597

-1.06%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,557

$2.41 Ft 761

-19.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$9.26 Ft 2,929

-21.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,144

$5.85 Ft 1,849

-19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$14.18 Ft 4,487

-0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$1.93 Ft 610

-40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,547

$1.82 Ft 577

-35.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$2.18 Ft 691

-48.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 982

$2.92 Ft 925

-74.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 948

$1.17 Ft 369

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$1.22 Ft 387

-37.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 1,001

$1.81 Ft 573

-58.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 738

$0.58 Ft 184

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,486

$7.07 Ft 2,238

-62.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

$4.78 Ft 1,513

156.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,880

$1.14 Ft 361

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,538

$1.56 Ft 493

24.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 767

$0.79 Ft 248

-25.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

$18.17 Ft 5,747

91.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,971

$2.56 Ft 811

-11.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 IQD 3,033

$1.16 Ft 366

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 IQD 9,233

$22.12 Ft 6,997

-68.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 837

$1.66 Ft 524

-61.45%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$27.6K Ft 8.7M

-31.55%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$26.0K Ft 8.2M

-20.85%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$162 Ft 51.2K

-37.47%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$27.23 Ft 8,615

-34.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

$19.40 Ft 6,137

52.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$45.24 Ft 14.3K

63.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

$16.98 Ft 5,372

-30.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$4.27 Ft 1,351

163.47%

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

$269 IQD 351.6K

$396 Ft 125.2K

-32.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

$7,137 Ft 2.3M

-53.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

$92.9 Ft 29.4K

-64.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

$44.71 Ft 14.1K

9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

$91.8 Ft 29.0K

-12.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

$100 Ft 31.7K

-22.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 IQD 571.5K

$430 Ft 136.1K

1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.4K

$313 Ft 99.0K

-12.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 IQD 968.0K

$437 Ft 138.4K

68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 IQD 649.8K

$342 Ft 108.3K

45.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

$2,488 Ft 787.1K

-56.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 IQD 855.1K

$2,085 Ft 659.4K

-68.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$1,219 Ft 385.6K

-52.39%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Erbil versus $430 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 110% 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: $194 vs $226 – 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 10%, 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 $1,565 per month in Erbil and $1,723 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 $1,043, than in Szombathely at $1,149. 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.