Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Vila Real Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Vila Real

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Erbil vs $1,269 in Vila Real, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Erbil vs $1,853 in Vila Real, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,213 per month in Erbil vs $2,436 in Vila Real, rent included.

Erbil is about 14% cheaper than Vila Real, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Erbil and Vila Real are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 20% lower, Vila Real 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$9.39 €8.10

-18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$29.41 €25.37

52.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$8.08 €6.97

1.61%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$1.19 €1.03

217.65%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$1.77 €1.53

-42.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$1.14 €0.98

-64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$3.40 €2.93

75.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$1.64 €1.42

171.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$1.01 €0.87

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$1.44 €1.24

-45.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.25 €1.08

36.00%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$2.83 €2.44

-37.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$9.92 €8.55

-16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$7.67 €6.61

-27.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$15.62 €13.47

-6.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$1.78 €1.53

-38.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.43 €1.23

-19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$1.61 €1.38

-24.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$2.59 €2.23

-68.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$1.53 €1.32

-51.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$1.82 €1.57

-62.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$1.26 €1.09

-37.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$0.40 €0.35

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$6.54 €5.64

-61.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$4.71 €4.06

168.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$1.15 €0.99

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$1.67 €1.44

23.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.32 €1.14

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$25.86 €22.30

69.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$4.35 €3.75

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$1.84 €1.58

-5.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$17.27 €14.90

-62.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$2.09 €1.80

-67.94%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$33.0K €28.5K

-45.69%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$40.1K €34.6K

-50.86%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$114 €98.6

13.83%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$17.70 €15.27

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$48.40 €41.74

-42.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$34.12 €29.43

89.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$10.63 €9.17

36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$9.20 €7.94

22.07%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$344 €296

-9.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$10.4K €8,938

-70.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$68.0 €58.7

-54.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$32.40 €27.95

39.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$85.9 €74.0

-20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$81.8 €70.5

-16.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$817 €704

-42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.5K

$494 €426

-41.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$1,059 €913

-30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$809 €698

-47.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$1,791 €1,545

-37.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$1,381 €1,191

-53.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

$1,141 €984

-46.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

3.55

-28.73%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Vila Real: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Erbil versus $817 in Vila Real. 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 86% higher in Vila Real, 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 $45.00 in Erbil versus $29.00 in Vila Real. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Erbil vs $229 in Vila Real – so Erbil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Vila Real: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vila Real is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,643 per month in Erbil and $1,904 in Vila Real. 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 12% more in Vila Real, 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 $45.00 in Erbil and $29.00 in Vila Real. 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 $1,095, than in Vila Real at $1,269. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vila Real 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, Vila Real makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.