Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $964 per month in Havana vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Havana vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,112 per month in Havana vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Havana is about 7% cheaper than Erbil, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Havana and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Havana 28% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-51.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 CUP 714

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

30.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 CUP 155

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-27.95%

Cappuccino

$1.24 CUP 29.75

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-60.38%

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

$2.22 CUP 53.4

$0.49 IQD 640

353.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CUP 36.56

$0.20 IQD 261

660.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 CUP 48.25

$2.00 IQD 2,624

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CUP 59.1

$2.14 IQD 2,797

14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.36 CUP 80.7

$1.32 IQD 1,730

154.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 CUP 25.70

$0.84 IQD 1,103

27.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 CUP 56.4

$1.80 IQD 2,355

30.56%

Eggs

$3.56 CUP 85.5

$1.98 IQD 2,599

79.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 CUP 118

$7.54 IQD 9,879

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 CUP 127

$4.80 IQD 6,282

10.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 CUP 229

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-33.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 CUP 121

$1.14 IQD 1,491

341.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CUP 33.13

$1.20 IQD 1,567

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 CUP 58.2

$1.19 IQD 1,561

103.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CUP 40.54

$0.76 IQD 994

122.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 CUP 67.4

$0.70 IQD 918

301.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.5

$0.72 IQD 938

284.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$0.78 IQD 1,018

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CUP 27.35

$0.53 IQD 688

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 CUP 93.6

$2.63 IQD 3,449

48.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 CUP 95.3

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-68.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 CUP 50.2

$1.45 IQD 1,899

44.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CUP 46.22

$2.01 IQD 2,633

-3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 CUP 30.74

$0.54 IQD 709

137.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.77 CUP 595

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-27.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CUP 75.0

$2.35 IQD 3,084

33.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 CUP 11.53

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-78.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 CUP 363

$6.87 IQD 8,999

120.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CUP 30.30

$0.70 IQD 911

80.00%

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

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

216.49%

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

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

223.24%

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

$37.68 CUP 904

$102 IQD 134.1K

-63.22%

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

$40.35 CUP 968

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

125.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 CUP 1,782

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

153.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.12 CUP 963

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-44.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 CUP 147

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

-48.00%

Cinema Ticket

$0.88 CUP 21.16

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-92.43%

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

$114 CUP 2,741

$269 IQD 352.1K

-57.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

207.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.14 CUP 963

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

22.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 CUP 808

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-30.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 CUP 1,802

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

-7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 CUP 2,027

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 CUP 8,905

$426 IQD 557.6K

-12.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 CUP 6,982

$278 IQD 364.4K

4.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

$726 IQD 951.1K

39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 CUP 14.3K

$485 IQD 635.3K

22.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,037

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

-70.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 CUP 9,742

$658 IQD 862.2K

-38.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$33.02 CUP 792

$584 IQD 765.0K

-94.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

14.33

-48.15%

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

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $371 in Havana versus $426 in Erbil. 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 1669% higher in Erbil, 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 $30.00 in Havana versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $197 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Havana vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,447 per month in Havana and $1,551 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Erbil – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Havana and $23.00 in Erbil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Havana, where all-in costs run around $964, than in Erbil at $1,034. In Havana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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