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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,149 per month in Szombathely vs $1,043 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,635 per month in Szombathely vs $1,545 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,121 per month in Szombathely vs $2,046 in Erbil, rent included.

Szombathely costs about 10% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Szombathely and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Szombathely 14% lower, Erbil 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 Ft 2,661

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

7.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

84.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 Ft 2,717

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

-4.66%

Cappuccino

$2.11 Ft 667

$3.24 IQD 4,240

-34.88%

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

$1.11 Ft 350

$0.49 IQD 640

126.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 Ft 313

$0.22 IQD 288

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 Ft 496

$1.96 IQD 2,562

-19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 703

$2.16 IQD 2,824

2.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Ft 338

$1.31 IQD 1,718

-18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Ft 496

$0.79 IQD 1,034

98.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 597

$1.87 IQD 2,450

1.07%

Eggs

$2.41 Ft 761

$1.95 IQD 2,557

23.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 Ft 2,929

$7.26 IQD 9,502

27.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 Ft 1,849

$4.69 IQD 6,144

24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 Ft 4,487

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 610

$1.15 IQD 1,502

67.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 Ft 577

$1.18 IQD 1,547

54.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 691

$1.13 IQD 1,480

92.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 Ft 925

$0.75 IQD 982

289.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 369

$0.72 IQD 948

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 387

$0.76 IQD 990

60.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 Ft 573

$0.76 IQD 1,001

138.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 184

$0.56 IQD 738

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 Ft 2,238

$2.66 IQD 3,486

165.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 Ft 1,513

$12.28 IQD 16.1K

-61.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 Ft 361

$1.44 IQD 1,880

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 Ft 493

$1.94 IQD 2,538

-19.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 Ft 248

$0.59 IQD 767

33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.17 Ft 5,747

$34.79 IQD 45.6K

-47.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 Ft 811

$2.27 IQD 2,971

12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 Ft 366

$2.32 IQD 3,033

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.12 Ft 6,997

$7.05 IQD 9,233

213.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 Ft 524

$0.64 IQD 837

159.38%

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

$27.6K Ft 8.7M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

46.08%

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

$26.0K Ft 8.2M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

26.35%

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

$162 Ft 51.2K

$101 IQD 132.5K

59.92%

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

$27.23 Ft 8,615

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

53.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.40 Ft 6,137

$29.56 IQD 38.7K

-34.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 Ft 14.3K

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

-38.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 Ft 5,372

$11.76 IQD 15.4K

44.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Ft 1,351

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

-62.04%

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

$396 Ft 125.2K

$269 IQD 351.6K

47.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,137 Ft 2.3M

$3,330 IQD 4.4M

114.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 Ft 29.4K

$32.93 IQD 43.1K

182.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.71 Ft 14.1K

$49.13 IQD 64.3K

-9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 Ft 29.0K

$80.7 IQD 105.7K

13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 Ft 31.7K

$77.9 IQD 102.0K

28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 Ft 136.1K

$436 IQD 571.5K

-1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 Ft 99.0K

$275 IQD 360.4K

13.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 Ft 138.4K

$739 IQD 968.0K

-40.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 Ft 108.3K

$496 IQD 649.8K

-31.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,488 Ft 787.1K

$1,089 IQD 1.4M

128.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 Ft 659.4K

$653 IQD 855.1K

219.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,219 Ft 385.6K

$580 IQD 759.9K

110.04%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Szombathely versus $436 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 110% 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: $226 vs $194 – 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 10%, 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 $1,723 per month in Szombathely and $1,565 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 $1,043, than in Szombathely at $1,149. 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.