Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,464 per month in Olsztyn vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,997 per month in Olsztyn vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,531 per month in Olsztyn vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Olsztyn costs about 42% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Olsztyn sits 9% above the global median, while Erbil is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 zł 38.84

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

37.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.46 zł 169

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

103.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 zł 27.37

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-16.37%

Cappuccino

$2.96 zł 10.80

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-5.43%

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

$1.69 zł 6.16

$0.49 IQD 640

244.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 zł 6.69

$0.20 IQD 261

820.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 zł 11.94

$2.00 IQD 2,624

63.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 zł 13.93

$2.14 IQD 2,797

78.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.03

$1.32 IQD 1,730

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 zł 4.82

$0.84 IQD 1,103

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 zł 5.46

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-16.67%

Eggs

$3.45 zł 12.59

$1.98 IQD 2,599

74.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 zł 32.40

$7.54 IQD 9,879

17.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 zł 21.92

$4.80 IQD 6,282

25.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 zł 36.69

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-29.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 zł 4.00

$1.14 IQD 1,491

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 zł 5.75

$1.20 IQD 1,567

31.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 zł 7.43

$1.19 IQD 1,561

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 zł 10.14

$0.76 IQD 994

265.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 zł 2.89

$0.70 IQD 918

12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 zł 4.50

$0.72 IQD 938

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 zł 4.19

$0.78 IQD 1,018

47.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 zł 2.46

$0.53 IQD 688

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 zł 20.30

$2.63 IQD 3,449

111.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 zł 29.68

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$1.45 IQD 1,899

-29.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 zł 6.23

$2.01 IQD 2,633

-14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 zł 4.08

$0.54 IQD 709

107.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 zł 98.8

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-20.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 zł 7.21

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 zł 2.69

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-66.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.79 zł 50.3

$6.87 IQD 8,999

100.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 zł 6.48

$0.70 IQD 911

154.29%

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

$32.8K zł 119.4K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

71.48%

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

$30.8K zł 112.3K

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

48.88%

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

$271 zł 989

$102 IQD 134.1K

164.85%

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

$9.10 zł 33.18

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

-49.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 zł 63.7

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

-40.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 zł 119

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-55.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.36 zł 59.6

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

39.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.01 zł 29.18

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-31.07%

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

$133 zł 486

$269 IQD 352.1K

-50.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K zł 56.8K

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

375.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 zł 350

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

193.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.72 zł 170

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 zł 302

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

2.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 394

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 zł 2,332

$426 IQD 557.6K

50.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 zł 2,007

$278 IQD 364.4K

97.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 zł 3,568

$726 IQD 951.1K

34.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 zł 2,218

$485 IQD 635.3K

25.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,992 zł 14.6K

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

255.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,823 zł 10.3K

$658 IQD 862.2K

328.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,472 zł 5,364

$584 IQD 765.0K

151.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

14.33

-59.46%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: June 1, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $640 in Olsztyn 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 152% higher in Olsztyn, 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 $46.00 in Olsztyn versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $197 – 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

Olsztyn vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Olsztyn is pricier by about 42%, 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 $2,196 per month in Olsztyn 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 Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Olsztyn, 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 $46.00 in Olsztyn and $23.00 in Erbil. 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 $1,034, than in Olsztyn at $1,464. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olsztyn 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, Olsztyn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.