How Much Does It Cost to Live In Irbil?
Irbil is definitely not a cheap city in Iraq, though it is much cheaper than Baghdad.
Most things, starting with restaurants, food, markets through rent and to utilities is cheaper in this city.
However, this makes sense, since Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and considered a tourist destination.
In Iraq, there are cities that are most expensive than others, like Basra or Baghdad.
However, if you try, you can get by in Irbil with a smaller amount of money, you just have to choose the cheaper versions that are offered out there.
Iraq : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
Fast food is always an option if you are a fan, as there are many places like Texas chicken or Chester’s, and a typical meal would cost you around $6. These count as inexpensive restaurants, but you can always purchase something at the street vendors’ and pay a couple of dollars. Mid-range restaurants will cost you around 10$ per person.
MARKETS
If you choose to make your own food, which is a much cheaper option – and probably a healthier one than eating street food (as delicious as it might be) just go to this city’s supermarkets. Markets in Irbil offer a great range of products, most of them being very affordable, and you’ll know what you’re eating.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation is, for the most part, affordable in Irbil, especially if you’re using public transport and avoiding taxis. A monthly pass for public transportation is around 30$, which is relatively expensive yet cheaper than in Baghdad. However, a daily ticket is around 0.40$ which is reasonable.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Paying for utilities in Irbil is definitely not cheap, but it’s still cheaper than in the capital. You can count on cashing out around 100$ just to cover the basic bills, like electricity, heating, cooling and water, if you’re living in a normal-sized apartment (of around 85m2). 1 min. of prepaid mobile services is 0.11$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Sports and leisure are expensive too (except for the fact that sports and leisure are optional for everyone, while bills are not). So, if you want to get in shape in Irbil, count on paying a whopping 60$. Cinema tickets here are around 10$ per person so watching movies in Irbil is even more expensive than in the capital.
CLOTHING & SHOES
As a contrast, shopping for clothes and shoes isn’t expensive in Irbil, so go on a shopping spree and be carefree. Quality jeans cost around 30$, and light pieces of clothes like summer dresses and shirts cost less than that. Sneakers of brands like Nike are around 55$.
RENT PER MONTH
Rent per month, in comparison to the utilities, is not that expensive either. Of course, it always depends on the part of the city you want to live in. Renting an apartment in the city center usually amounts to around 371$, and outside of the center is less than that.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Irbil
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $5.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $1.50 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.22 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.09 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.06 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.23 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $0.42 |
| Monthly Pass | $30.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.70 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $99.22 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.11 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $39.90 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $58.06 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $12.76 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $10.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $32.28 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $20.14 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $52.86 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $353.85 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $263.42 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $607.69 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Irbil?
People in Irbil spend most of their money in markets, on food and other necessities.
Apart from that, the biggest part of their expenses is rent – which just means there are many people out there renting apartments.
Restaurants and transportation also take up an important part in Irbil citizens’expenses, while sports and leisure also have a high rate in this statistics.
Shopping for clothes and shoes is the last on the list, with statistics showing that only 2.7% of all expenses go on clothing.
Average Costs Breakdown
Irbil: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Salaries in Irbil are higher, which makes sense taking into consideration that the expenses are rather high too.
However, with rent costing around 300$ and utilities being around 100$ a month, some citizens literally can’t make ends meet.
For instance, those with a minimum monthly wage, which is, shockingly, less than 200$ per month, surely have problems paying for necessities and with such a low minimum wage there isn’t enough to buy new clothes regularly, for instance.
Mortgage interest rate in this country is also relatively high.
Cost of Living by City in Irbil
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Baghdad | 47.17 |
