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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,126 per month in Szombathely vs $1,005 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Szombathely vs $1,530 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,111 per month in Szombathely vs $2,056 in Erbil, rent included.

Szombathely costs about 12% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Szombathely and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Szombathely 16% lower, Erbil 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 Ft 2,527

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

7.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.46 Ft 12.8K

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

81.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 Ft 2,566

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

-3.83%

Cappuccino

$2.13 Ft 641

$3.27 IQD 4,279

-34.86%

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

$1.10 Ft 330

$0.48 IQD 632

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 Ft 289

$0.20 IQD 261

380.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 Ft 483

$1.98 IQD 2,595

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 Ft 639

$2.14 IQD 2,809

-0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Ft 333

$1.37 IQD 1,796

-18.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Ft 455

$0.81 IQD 1,065

87.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 569

$1.81 IQD 2,366

4.42%

Eggs

$2.54 Ft 763

$1.92 IQD 2,520

32.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 Ft 2,793

$7.42 IQD 9,716

25.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 Ft 1,851

$4.66 IQD 6,102

32.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 Ft 4,334

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 575

$1.15 IQD 1,506

66.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 574

$1.18 IQD 1,550

61.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 654

$1.18 IQD 1,543

84.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 Ft 846

$0.81 IQD 1,054

248.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 351

$0.71 IQD 929

64.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Ft 388

$0.76 IQD 991

69.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 Ft 544

$0.78 IQD 1,020

132.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 160

$0.55 IQD 722

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 Ft 2,105

$2.62 IQD 3,432

167.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 Ft 1,504

$12.53 IQD 16.4K

-60.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 Ft 355

$1.39 IQD 1,826

-15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 Ft 465

$1.95 IQD 2,549

-20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 Ft 252

$0.59 IQD 777

42.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.79 Ft 5,345

$34.05 IQD 44.6K

-47.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Ft 758

$2.24 IQD 2,937

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 337

$2.30 IQD 3,016

-51.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.09 Ft 6,639

$6.87 IQD 8,990

221.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 Ft 520

$0.66 IQD 862

162.12%

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

$27.0K Ft 8.1M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

42.78%

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

$26.3K Ft 7.9M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

28.60%

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

$162 Ft 48.7K

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

62.99%

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

$27.03 Ft 8,123

$17.70 IQD 23.2K

52.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.98 Ft 6,004

$29.62 IQD 38.8K

-32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.49 Ft 14.0K

$72.3 IQD 94.7K

-35.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 Ft 4,995

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

43.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 Ft 1,302

$11.26 IQD 14.7K

-61.55%

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

$396 Ft 119.1K

$269 IQD 352.0K

47.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,180 Ft 2.2M

$3,227 IQD 4.2M

122.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 Ft 28.1K

$32.68 IQD 42.8K

186.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.94 Ft 13.2K

$48.30 IQD 63.2K

-9.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 Ft 28.3K

$80.9 IQD 105.9K

16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 Ft 29.8K

$78.6 IQD 103.0K

25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 Ft 128.4K

$439 IQD 575.5K

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 Ft 96.5K

$285 IQD 373.2K

12.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 Ft 129.4K

$733 IQD 959.5K

-41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Ft 104.6K

$491 IQD 643.4K

-29.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 Ft 790.8K

$1,095 IQD 1.4M

140.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,175 Ft 653.5K

$657 IQD 860.2K

231.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,248 Ft 375.0K

$577 IQD 755.6K

116.25%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Erbil: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Szombathely versus $439 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 116% 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 $42.00 in Szombathely versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $196 – 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 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,689 per month in Szombathely and $1,507 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 17% 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 $42.00 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 $1,005, than in Szombathely at $1,126. 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.