Cost of Living Comparison Between Szombathely and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Szombathely and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,136 per month in Szombathely vs $1,019 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in Szombathely vs $1,524 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,095 per month in Szombathely vs $2,029 in Erbil, rent included.

Szombathely costs about 11% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Szombathely and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Szombathely 15% lower, Erbil 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.69 Ft 2,713

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.04 Ft 13.4K

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

87.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 Ft 2,654

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

-5.13%

Cappuccino

$2.20 Ft 686

$3.25 IQD 4,252

-32.31%

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

$1.09 Ft 340

$0.48 IQD 630

127.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 Ft 311

$0.22 IQD 289

354.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 Ft 487

$2.01 IQD 2,633

-22.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 Ft 670

$2.04 IQD 2,671

5.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Ft 342

$1.32 IQD 1,727

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 Ft 483

$0.85 IQD 1,115

82.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 594

$1.81 IQD 2,368

4.97%

Eggs

$2.44 Ft 761

$1.98 IQD 2,590

23.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 Ft 2,944

$7.44 IQD 9,745

26.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 Ft 1,880

$4.75 IQD 6,229

26.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 Ft 4,504

$13.99 IQD 18.3K

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 596

$1.15 IQD 1,509

66.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 573

$1.16 IQD 1,514

58.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 658

$1.13 IQD 1,483

86.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 Ft 876

$0.81 IQD 1,061

246.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 351

$0.71 IQD 936

57.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 Ft 386

$0.76 IQD 997

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 Ft 540

$0.76 IQD 1,002

127.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.53 IQD 690

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.38 Ft 2,301

$2.76 IQD 3,610

167.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 Ft 1,472

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

-61.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 Ft 365

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 Ft 507

$2.00 IQD 2,627

-18.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 Ft 254

$0.56 IQD 728

44.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.26 Ft 5,697

$34.51 IQD 45.2K

-47.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 Ft 817

$2.28 IQD 2,992

14.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 Ft 363

$2.29 IQD 2,997

-49.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.65 Ft 7,067

$6.92 IQD 9,060

227.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 Ft 516

$0.70 IQD 911

135.71%

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

$27.5K Ft 8.6M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

44.17%

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

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

23.42%

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

$167 Ft 52.0K

$100 IQD 131.3K

66.14%

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

$27.84 Ft 8,685

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

58.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.33 Ft 6,030

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

-34.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 Ft 14.2K

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

-38.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 Ft 5,173

$11.82 IQD 15.5K

40.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Ft 1,323

$11.57 IQD 15.2K

-63.35%

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

$403 Ft 125.7K

$264 IQD 345.7K

52.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,179 Ft 2.2M

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

118.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 Ft 28.7K

$32.96 IQD 43.2K

178.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.15 Ft 14.1K

$49.58 IQD 65.0K

-8.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 Ft 29.0K

$83.8 IQD 109.7K

11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 Ft 30.8K

$76.7 IQD 100.5K

28.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 Ft 135.4K

$430 IQD 562.8K

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 Ft 99.5K

$281 IQD 367.7K

13.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 Ft 135.0K

$716 IQD 938.5K

-39.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 Ft 107.9K

$486 IQD 637.2K

-28.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,561 Ft 799.2K

$1,111 IQD 1.5M

130.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,081 Ft 649.4K

$652 IQD 854.1K

219.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 Ft 378.4K

$576 IQD 754.2K

110.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

14.33

-47.66%

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

Last update for Szombathely: April 28, 2026

Last update for Erbil: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Szombathely versus $430 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 111% higher in Szombathely, 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 $43.00 in Szombathely versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $195 – 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

Szombathely vs Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Szombathely is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,704 per month in Szombathely and $1,528 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 16% more in Szombathely, 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 $43.00 in Szombathely 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 $1,019, than in Szombathely at $1,136. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szombathely 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, Szombathely makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.