Although Turkey is a country where every shopkeeper and businessman has to pay the state a percentage of their income in tax, things are still a lot cheaper there compared to the Kurdish capital city of Erbil.
Although Turkey is a country where every shopkeeper and businessman has to pay the state a percentage of their income in tax, things are still a lot cheaper there compared to the Kurdish capital city of Erbil.
Clothes
Turkey is recognized as having good brands of clothes. Both men and women are surprised at the considerable differences in the price of clothes in Turkey, and especially in Ankara. Things are a lot cheaper than they are in Erbil.
A normal pair of jeans or trousers will cost at least 30-50,000 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) in Erbil, while the same goods, and probably a better brand, will cost 10- 20 IQDs in Ankara.
Whats more, you would be hard pressed to find a pair of brand-name boots that would cost 70,000 IQDs in Ankara for less than 200,000 IQDs in Erbil.
Food
Dürüm, which is a Turkish pitta sandwich filled with strips of chicken, lamb, or beef can be found for 1,250 3,000 IQDs depending on the location.
Doner is a type of sandwich which is priced around the -3000 IQDs, and should leave someone feeling full.
Another type of food which stands out for its taste and its price is Pide, a sort of Turkish pizza. This delicious bread topped with minced meat, spinach or eggs can be found for 4000-6000 IQD.
Of course, all these prices change in higher class restaurants which are not visited by normal clients.
Things are a lot cheaper in Ankara than they are in Erbil. I wonder why things are cheaper here. I have bought a lot of clothes for my family, because I know I cant get them at home in Erbil at a better price, said Salam Bakir, 34, a Kurdish tourist as he strolled through the Anka Mall in Ankara. Anka Mall is known as a place for purchasing expensive items, but it is still cheaper than Erbil superstores.
There are stores which have well-known brands of clothes including KIMLIK and LEVIS-- brands which remain on the pricy side, no matter where they are.
Sarwar Zandy, 28, who is originally from Erbil but now works in Ankara, said Ankara is a place for all kinds of people. Its possible to live normally here without spending a lot of money.
It depends on the person as to how he or she wants to live, but generally speaking the city is not as expensive as Erbil, said Zandy.
Zandy believes Erbil is more expensive because people want to make a lot of profit on what they sell, although wholesalers also add a little extra to every item they sell.
For those who seek items at an even better price, there is a weekly market in Ankara. Many people who are not in a hurry wait until the market to purchase what they need.
Transportation
People usually go to work by bus or metro. While buses take a lot of time, the metro is fast, convenient and not expensive.
For those who want to reach their destination faster, the local minibuses (called dolmus) are faster and easier, but a little more expensive.
Taxis are the only thing people do not want to use unless it is absolutely necessary. Taxis are extremely expensive due to the high price of gas in Turkey, where a liter of gas costs nearly 3,750 IQDs--almost four times more expensive than in Erbil.
Despite the high price of taxis, Zandy said if someone is not from the city and does not know their way around, they will be cheated by the drivers. Kurds in general and people in Erbil in particular should be proud of their high values and their personalities.
Praise God people in Erbil do not cheat foreigners--as far as I know, he concluded.
© The Kurdish Globe 2013
