Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szombathely and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Erbil: $958 a month against $1,222 in Szombathely, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Szombathely, Hungary
Erbil, Iraq
Szombathely
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,222
/mo nomad
Erbil
🇮🇶 Iraq
$958
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szombathely 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 Szombathely and in Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,222 per month in Szombathely vs $958 in Erbil, rent included.

  • Szombathely $1,222
  • Erbil $958

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Szombathely vs $1,427 in Erbil, rent included.

  • Szombathely $1,944
  • Erbil $1,427

A family of three spends $2,666 per month in Szombathely vs $1,896 in Erbil, rent included.

  • Szombathely $2,666
  • Erbil $1,896

Szombathely costs about 28% more than Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Szombathely and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Szombathely 10% lower, Erbil 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.43 Ft 3,746
$6.42 IQD 9,704
78.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.7 Ft 17.6K
$36.55 IQD 55.2K
46.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.03 Ft 2,961
$7.41 IQD 11.2K
21.86%
Cappuccino
$2.36 Ft 772
$3.24 IQD 4,889
-27.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 Ft 422
$0.89 IQD 1,341
44.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 Ft 399
$0.33 IQD 505
269.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.71 Ft 559
$5.75 IQD 8,681
-70.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 Ft 735
$3.92 IQD 5,921
-42.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 Ft 390
$1.07 IQD 1,611
11.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 Ft 534
$0.67 IQD 1,019
143.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 817
$1.52 IQD 2,303
63.82%
Eggs
$3.26 Ft 1,068
$1.60 IQD 2,413
103.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.39 Ft 3,405
$7.00 IQD 10.6K
48.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.78 Ft 2,224
$4.38 IQD 6,614
54.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.03 Ft 5,254
$12.67 IQD 19.1K
26.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 Ft 729
$0.94 IQD 1,415
137.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 Ft 669
$1.01 IQD 1,528
101.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 Ft 783
$1.02 IQD 1,544
134.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 Ft 1,122
$0.70 IQD 1,064
388.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 Ft 351
$0.65 IQD 982
64.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.39 Ft 456
$0.63 IQD 952
120.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 Ft 581
$0.64 IQD 968
176.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Ft 180
$0.52 IQD 781
5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.90 Ft 2,916
$2.19 IQD 3,303
306.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.45 Ft 1,457
$10.83 IQD 16.4K
-58.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 416
$1.45 IQD 2,191
-12.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 Ft 827
$1.79 IQD 2,712
40.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 Ft 271
$0.49 IQD 736
69.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.83 Ft 8,795
$39.29 IQD 59.4K
-31.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 Ft 877
$1.67 IQD 2,519
59.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 Ft 436
$1.60 IQD 2,418
-16.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.51 Ft 7,705
$5.78 IQD 8,728
306.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 Ft 594
$0.57 IQD 867
217.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K Ft 9.0M
$16.8K IQD 25.4M
62.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K Ft 10.8M
$17.1K IQD 25.9M
92.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$166 Ft 54.5K
$111 IQD 168.1K
49.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.51 Ft 6,722
$12.24 IQD 18.5K
67.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.05 Ft 6,900
$24.61 IQD 37.2K
-14.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Ft 16.7K
$57.0 IQD 86.1K
-10.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.97 Ft 5,890
$13.48 IQD 20.4K
33.31%
Cinema Ticket
$4.46 Ft 1,463
$9.63 IQD 14.6K
-53.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$433 Ft 141.8K
$294 IQD 443.8K
47.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,571 Ft 2.5M
$2,726 IQD 4.1M
177.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100 Ft 32.9K
$26.71 IQD 40.4K
275.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.6 Ft 16.9K
$38.49 IQD 58.2K
34.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 Ft 31.5K
$61.1 IQD 92.3K
57.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 Ft 36.5K
$59.9 IQD 90.5K
85.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$521 Ft 170.9K
$426 IQD 643.6K
22.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$329 Ft 107.9K
$271 IQD 410.0K
21.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$746 Ft 244.7K
$699 IQD 1.1M
6.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$643 Ft 210.7K
$404 IQD 610.4K
59.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,419 Ft 792.8K
$1,017 IQD 1.5M
137.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,983 Ft 649.9K
$615 IQD 929.8K
222.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szombathely
Erbil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,165 Ft 381.8K
$519 IQD 783.7K
124.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
2.53
196.44%

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

Last update for Szombathely: October 26, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Szombathely
$329
Erbil
$271 17.6% $58
Groceries & Markets
Szombathely
$254
Erbil
$174 31.7% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szombathely
$208
Erbil
$148 28.8% $60
Eating Out
Szombathely
$170
Erbil
$154 9.4% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Szombathely
$162
Erbil
$84 48.2% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Szombathely
$60
Erbil
$76 27.2% $16
Getting Around
Szombathely
$39
Erbil
$51 29% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Szombathely 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 in Szombathely are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Szombathely versus $37 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $174 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Szombathely
🇮🇶 Erbil
🕒 Local time
06:25 6:25 AM
08:25 8:25 AM
2 h ahead of Szombathely
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
77,757
1,713,461
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 328 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.05 USD). 1 EUR = 367 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.72 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,692 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.91 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Szombathely Erbil 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Szombathely
  • 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
Szombathely vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Erbil cheaper than Szombathely?
Yes – Szombathely is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,834 per month in Szombathely and $1,437 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Erbil, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $426 there versus $521 in Szombathely.
How do food prices compare in Szombathely and in Erbil?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Szombathely, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Szombathely or in Erbil?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Szombathely and $37 in Erbil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is Szombathely or Erbil more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Szombathely or Erbil?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Erbil. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szombathely makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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