Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakho and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Zakho: $725 a month against $958 in Erbil, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Zakho
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Zakho Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index

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Zakho

🇮🇶 Iraq

$725

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$958

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $725 per month in Zakho vs $958 in Erbil, rent included.

Zakho $725
Erbil $958

A couple spends around $1,158 per month in Zakho vs $1,427 in Erbil, rent included.

Zakho $1,158
Erbil $1,427

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Zakho vs $1,896 in Erbil, rent included.

Zakho $1,591
Erbil $1,896

Zakho is about 24% cheaper than Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Zakho and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Zakho 47% lower, Erbil 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.18 IQD 6,310

$6.42 IQD 9,704

-34.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 55.9K

$36.55 IQD 55.2K

1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 IQD 10.8K

$7.41 IQD 11.2K

-3.64%

Cappuccino

$3.21 IQD 4,856

$3.24 IQD 4,889

-0.93%

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

$0.83 IQD 1,256

$0.89 IQD 1,341

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 IQD 506

$0.33 IQD 505

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.65 IQD 8,535

$5.75 IQD 8,681

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 IQD 5,960

$3.92 IQD 5,921

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 IQD 1,669

$1.07 IQD 1,611

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 IQD 1,023

$0.67 IQD 1,019

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 IQD 2,271

$1.52 IQD 2,303

-1.32%

Eggs

$1.58 IQD 2,382

$1.60 IQD 2,413

-1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 IQD 10.4K

$7.00 IQD 10.6K

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 IQD 6,440

$4.38 IQD 6,614

-2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 IQD 19.2K

$12.67 IQD 19.1K

0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,484

$0.94 IQD 1,415

4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,414

$1.01 IQD 1,528

-6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,536

$1.02 IQD 1,544

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 986

$0.70 IQD 1,064

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 920

$0.65 IQD 982

-6.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 895

$0.63 IQD 952

-6.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 IQD 926

$0.64 IQD 968

-4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 775

$0.52 IQD 781

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 IQD 3,300

$2.19 IQD 3,303

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 IQD 16.3K

$10.83 IQD 16.4K

-0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 IQD 2,213

$1.45 IQD 2,191

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,737

$1.79 IQD 2,712

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 IQD 439

$0.49 IQD 736

-40.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.29 IQD 59.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 IQD 2,546

$1.67 IQD 2,519

0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 IQD 2,440

$1.60 IQD 2,418

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 IQD 8,531

$5.78 IQD 8,728

-2.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 IQD 886

$0.57 IQD 867

3.51%

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

$16.5K IQD 24.9M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

-1.97%

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

$17.1K IQD 25.8M

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

-0.29%

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

$115 IQD 173.5K

$111 IQD 168.1K

3.22%

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

$12.27 IQD 18.5K

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

0.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.28 IQD 36.7K

$24.61 IQD 37.2K

-1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 IQD 59.8K

$57.0 IQD 86.1K

-30.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 IQD 20.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 IQD 14.7K

$9.63 IQD 14.6K

1.25%

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

$298 IQD 450.7K

$294 IQD 443.8K

1.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,742 IQD 4.1M

$2,726 IQD 4.1M

0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.56 IQD 40.1K

$26.71 IQD 40.4K

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.78 IQD 29.9K

$38.49 IQD 58.2K

-48.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.59 IQD 74.9K

$61.1 IQD 92.3K

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.81 IQD 60.1K

$59.9 IQD 90.5K

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 IQD 313.3K

$426 IQD 643.6K

-51.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 205.0K

$271 IQD 410.0K

-50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 IQD 558.5K

$699 IQD 1.1M

-47.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 IQD 482.7K

$404 IQD 610.4K

-20.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 IQD 1.3M

$1,017 IQD 1.5M

-12.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$551 IQD 833.0K

$615 IQD 929.8K

-10.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 IQD 997.8K

$519 IQD 783.7K

27.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

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

Last update for Zakho: October 25, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Zakho

$172 23.8%

Erbil

$174 18.1% 0.8% $1.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zakho

$151 20.9%

Erbil

$148 15.5% 2.2% $3.3

Accommodation & Living

Zakho

$136 18.7%

Erbil

$271 28.3% 100% $136

Eating Out

Zakho

$134 18.5%

Erbil

$154 16.1% 14.7% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Zakho

$61 8.4%

Erbil

$84 8.8% 37.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Zakho

$59 8.2%

Erbil

$76 8% 29% $17

Getting Around

Zakho

$11 * 1.5%

Erbil

$51 5.3% 366% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Zakho 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 run about 27% higher in Zakho, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Zakho versus $37 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $174 – making Zakho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Zakho

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

12:54 12:54 PM

Same time as Zakho

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

197,163

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Zakho Erbil 160 km

From you

Zakho
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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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 32%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,087 per month in Zakho and $1,437 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zakho, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $207 there versus $426 in Erbil.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $725 in Zakho and $958 in Erbil. That makes Zakho about 24% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $298 per month in Zakho and $294 in Erbil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Erbil has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $725 in Zakho to $958 in Erbil. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.