Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $876 per month in Lusaka vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Lusaka vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,103 per month in Lusaka vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Lusaka is about 15% cheaper than Erbil, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lusaka and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 35% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-7.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-59.58%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-35.78%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$0.49 IQD 640

48.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.20 IQD 261

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$2.00 IQD 2,624

-52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$2.14 IQD 2,797

-14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.32 IQD 1,730

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$0.84 IQD 1,103

-11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-12.22%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$1.98 IQD 2,599

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$7.54 IQD 9,879

4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$4.80 IQD 6,282

-20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-68.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$1.14 IQD 1,491

119.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.20 IQD 1,567

31.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$1.19 IQD 1,561

126.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$0.76 IQD 994

53.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$0.70 IQD 918

167.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$0.72 IQD 938

91.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$0.78 IQD 1,018

11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.53 IQD 688

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$2.63 IQD 3,449

-3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-12.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.45 IQD 1,899

-22.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$2.01 IQD 2,633

-25.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$0.54 IQD 709

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

12.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$2.35 IQD 3,084

18.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-47.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$6.87 IQD 8,999

29.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$0.70 IQD 911

70.00%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

-58.29%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

37.21%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$102 IQD 134.1K

-12.07%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

198.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

332.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-37.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

18.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-63.08%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$269 IQD 352.1K

-34.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

190.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

-41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-64.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

6.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

-3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$426 IQD 557.6K

-47.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$278 IQD 364.4K

-56.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$726 IQD 951.1K

45.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$485 IQD 635.3K

20.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

75.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

$658 IQD 862.2K

550.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$584 IQD 765.0K

-49.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

74.46%

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Lusaka 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 97% 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 $25.00 in Lusaka versus $23.00 in Erbil. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Lusaka vs $197 in Erbil – so Lusaka 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

Lusaka vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,313 per month in Lusaka 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 Lusaka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Erbil, 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 $25.00 in Lusaka 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 Lusaka, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Erbil at $1,034. In Lusaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lusaka – 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 Lusaka. 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.