Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mosul and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Mosul: $573 a month against $958 in Erbil, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Mosul
Learn more

Mosul Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
Learn more

Erbil Living Index

Jump to prices

Mosul

🇮🇶 Iraq

$573

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$958

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mosul and in Erbil

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mosul and in Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $573 per month in Mosul vs $958 in Erbil, rent included.

Mosul $573
Erbil $958

A couple spends around $906 per month in Mosul vs $1,427 in Erbil, rent included.

Mosul $906
Erbil $1,427

A family of three spends $1,239 per month in Mosul vs $1,896 in Erbil, rent included.

Mosul $1,239
Erbil $1,896

Mosul is about 40% cheaper than Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mosul and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Mosul 58% lower, Erbil 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 IQD 6,154

$6.42 IQD 9,704

-36.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.30 IQD 24.6K

$36.55 IQD 55.2K

-55.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 IQD 7,870

$7.41 IQD 11.2K

-29.69%

Cappuccino

$1.44 IQD 2,171

$3.24 IQD 4,889

-55.56%

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

$0.37 IQD 552

$0.89 IQD 1,341

-58.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 241

$0.33 IQD 505

-51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 IQD 2,045

$5.75 IQD 8,681

-76.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 IQD 1,965

$3.92 IQD 5,921

-66.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 1,086

$1.07 IQD 1,611

-32.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 IQD 955

$0.67 IQD 1,019

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,645

$1.52 IQD 2,303

-28.29%

Eggs

$1.35 IQD 2,045

$1.60 IQD 2,413

-15.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.05 IQD 4,611

$7.00 IQD 10.6K

-56.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 IQD 5,481

$4.38 IQD 6,614

-17.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 IQD 15.4K

$12.67 IQD 19.1K

-19.49%

Apples (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 900

$0.94 IQD 1,415

-36.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 IQD 1,347

$1.01 IQD 1,528

-11.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 915

$1.02 IQD 1,544

-40.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 IQD 650

$0.70 IQD 1,064

-38.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 617

$0.65 IQD 982

-36.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 621

$0.63 IQD 952

-34.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 IQD 544

$0.64 IQD 968

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 785

$0.52 IQD 781

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,528

$2.19 IQD 3,303

-23.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 IQD 9,779

$10.83 IQD 16.4K

-40.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 IQD 2,222

$1.45 IQD 2,191

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,516

$1.79 IQD 2,712

-6.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 IQD 518

$0.49 IQD 736

-30.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 IQD 113.4K

$39.29 IQD 59.4K

90.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 IQD 1,954

$1.67 IQD 2,519

-22.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 IQD 2,051

$1.60 IQD 2,418

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 IQD 6,032

$5.78 IQD 8,728

-30.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 IQD 661

$0.57 IQD 867

-22.81%

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

$15.0K IQD 22.7M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

-10.75%

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

$17.3K IQD 26.2M

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

1.13%

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

$76.1 IQD 115.0K

$111 IQD 168.1K

-31.59%

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

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 IQD 35.9K

$24.61 IQD 37.2K

-3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.66 IQD 31.2K

$57.0 IQD 86.1K

-63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 IQD 34.3K

$13.48 IQD 20.4K

68.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 IQD 12.2K

$9.63 IQD 14.6K

-15.99%

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

$172 IQD 259.6K

$294 IQD 443.8K

-41.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,729 IQD 4.1M

$2,726 IQD 4.1M

0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.79 IQD 16.3K

$26.71 IQD 40.4K

-59.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.25 IQD 24.6K

$38.49 IQD 58.2K

-57.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.17 IQD 35.0K

$61.1 IQD 92.3K

-62.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

$59.9 IQD 90.5K

-63.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 IQD 215.2K

$426 IQD 643.6K

-66.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 IQD 155.9K

$271 IQD 410.0K

-61.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 IQD 373.8K

$699 IQD 1.1M

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 IQD 380.7K

$404 IQD 610.4K

-37.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$730 IQD 1.1M

$1,017 IQD 1.5M

-28.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 IQD 758.5K

$615 IQD 929.8K

-18.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 IQD 634.2K

$519 IQD 783.7K

-19.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

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

Last update for Mosul: October 25, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mosul

$127 22.2%

Erbil

$174 18.1% 36.2% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mosul

$112 19.6%

Erbil

$148 15.5% 32.1% $36

Accommodation & Living

Mosul

$103 18%

Erbil

$271 28.3% 163% $168

Getting Around

Mosul

$84 14.7%

Erbil

$51 5.3% 39.7% $34

Eating Out

Mosul

$77 13.4%

Erbil

$154 16.1% 100% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Mosul

$37 6.4%

Erbil

$76 8% 107% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Mosul

$33 5.7%

Erbil

$84 8.8% 158% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Mosul 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 24% 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 $16 in Mosul versus $37 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $174 – making Mosul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Mosul

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

21:16 9:16 PM

Same time as Mosul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,683,000

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mosul Erbil 83 km

From you

Mosul
Erbil

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mosul vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 67%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $860 per month in Mosul and $1,437 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mosul, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $142 there versus $426 in Erbil.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Erbil, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Mosul and $37 in Erbil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $573 in Mosul and $958 in Erbil, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mosul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mosul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.