For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $526 a month against $759 in Zakho, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zakho and in Delhi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $759 per month in Zakho vs $526 in Delhi, rent included.
Zakho $759
Delhi $526
A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Zakho vs $882 in Delhi, rent included.
Zakho $1,210
Delhi $882
A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Zakho vs $1,239 in Delhi, rent included.
Zakho $1,661
Delhi $1,239
😐
Zakho costs about 44% more than Delhi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Zakho and Delhi are more affordable than the global median – Zakho44% lower, Delhi61% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.52IQD 9,855
$3.70₹352
76.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.45IQD 55.1K
$21.33₹2,026
70.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.08IQD 10.7K
$3.69₹351
91.87%
Cappuccino
$3.38IQD 5,101
$2.30₹218
46.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90IQD 1,356
$0.39₹36.82
130.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36IQD 550
$0.15₹14.05
140.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.36IQD 8,101
$2.05₹195
161.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.06IQD 6,130
$3.13₹297
29.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07IQD 1,613
$0.69₹65.9
55.07%
White Bread(500g)
$0.67IQD 1,019
$0.58₹54.6
15.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.47IQD 2,221
$0.78₹74.0
88.46%
Eggs
$1.52IQD 2,290
$1.15₹109
32.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.21IQD 10.9K
$4.28₹407
68.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.32IQD 6,524
$3.52₹334
22.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.87IQD 19.4K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$0.97IQD 1,463
$1.93₹184
-49.74%
Banana(1kg)
$0.95IQD 1,437
$0.79₹75.1
20.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.02IQD 1,543
$1.01₹95.6
0.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.69IQD 1,046
$0.53₹50.0
30.19%
Potato(1kg)
$0.59IQD 895
$0.28₹26.21
110.71%
Onion(1kg)
$0.58IQD 874
$0.37₹35.46
56.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66IQD 997
$0.44₹41.89
50.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51IQD 777
$0.31₹29.89
64.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.11IQD 3,189
$4.95₹470
-57.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.84IQD 16.4K
$8.57₹814
26.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45IQD 2,197
$1.61₹152
-9.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84IQD 2,782
$2.66₹253
-30.83%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.40₹608
-
🚌 Getting Around
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39IQD 594
$0.51₹48.63
-23.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.25IQD 30.6K
$15.59₹1,481
29.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.64IQD 2,474
$1.04₹98.4
57.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60IQD 2,418
$0.27₹25.79
492.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.53IQD 8,350
$1.54₹146
259.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.57IQD 863
$1.11₹106
-48.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.7KIQD 25.3M
$11.5K₹1.1M
45.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.3KIQD 26.2M
$18.9K₹1.8M
-8.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$113IQD 170.8K
$42.45₹4,031
166.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.83IQD 17.9K
$4.20₹399
181.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.03IQD 36.3K
$6.89₹654
248.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.45IQD 56.6K
$20.09₹1,908
86.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$7.89₹749
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.95IQD 15.0K
$5.31₹504
87.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$313IQD 473.3K
$101₹9,571
210.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,762IQD 4.2M
$2,315₹219.8K
19.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.29IQD 39.7K
$24.64₹2,340
6.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.70IQD 29.8K
$28.82₹2,737
-31.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$49.08IQD 74.2K
$53.6₹5,088
-8.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.75IQD 61.6K
$44.17₹4,194
-7.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$172IQD 260.4K
$271₹25.8K
-36.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$132IQD 199.9K
$157₹14.9K
-15.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$379IQD 572.2K
$744₹70.6K
-49.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$308IQD 466.0K
$405₹38.4K
-23.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$711IQD 1.1M
$2,574₹244.4K
-72.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$576IQD 870.1K
$1,003₹95.2K
-42.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zakho
Delhi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$660IQD 997.7K
$615₹58.4K
7.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.53
8.33
-69.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Zakho: October 20, 2026
Last update for Delhi: October 18, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Zakho
$174 22.9%
Delhi
$110 20.8% ↓ 36.9%$64
🍽Eating Out
Zakho
$154 20.3%
Delhi
$87 16.5% ↓ 43.5%$67
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zakho
$149 19.6%
Delhi
$54 10.2% ↓ 64%$95
🏠Accommodation & Living
Zakho
$132 17.4%
Delhi
$157 29.9% ↑ 18.7%$25
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Zakho
$61 8.1%
Delhi
$68 12.9% ↑ 11.3%$6.9
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Zakho
$57 7.6%
Delhi
$31 5.8% ↓ 46.5%$27
🚌Getting Around
Zakho
$31 4.2%
Delhi
$20 3.8% ↓ 36.3%$11
🛒Groceries & Markets
Zakho
$394 23.8%
Delhi
$236 19.1% ↓ 40.1%$158
🍽Eating Out
Zakho
$483 29.1%
Delhi
$279 22.5% ↓ 42.2%$204
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zakho
$161 9.7%
Delhi
$58 4.7% ↓ 64.1%$103
🏠Accommodation & Living
Zakho
$308 18.6%
Delhi
$405 32.7% ↑ 31.2%$96
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Zakho
$136 8.2%
Delhi
$151 12.2% ↑ 11.3%$15
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Zakho
$115 * 6.9%
Delhi
$69 5.6% ↓ 39.6%$45
🚌Getting Around
Zakho
$64 3.8%
Delhi
$41 3.3% ↓ 35.5%$23
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Zakho versus $271 in Delhi. 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 7% higher in Zakho, 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 $36.00 in Zakho versus $21.00 in Delhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $110 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Zakho vs Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Zakho and in Delhi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $759 in Zakho, $526 in Delhi – roughly 44% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Zakho compared to Delhi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,138 per month in Zakho and $789 in Delhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Zakho and Delhi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Zakho and $21.00 in Delhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Zakho or Delhi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $759 in Zakho and $526 in Delhi. That's a gap of about 44%.
How far does $1,200 go in Zakho compared to Delhi?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $759 in Zakho and $526 in Delhi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Zakho or Delhi?
Families tend to lean toward Delhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Zakho or Delhi safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Zakho and Delhi?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zakho makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.