Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Kirkuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirkuk: $545 a month against $1,048 in Baghdad, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Baghdad
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Baghdad Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Kirkuk
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Kirkuk Living Index

Jump to prices

Baghdad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,048

/mo nomad

Kirkuk

🇮🇶 Iraq

$545

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baghdad and in Kirkuk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baghdad and in Kirkuk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Baghdad versus $545 in Kirkuk.

Baghdad $1,048
Kirkuk $545

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,508 in Baghdad versus $871 in Kirkuk.

Baghdad $1,508
Kirkuk $871

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,968 in Baghdad versus $1,197 in Kirkuk.

Baghdad $1,968
Kirkuk $1,197

Living in Baghdad is roughly 92% more expensive than in Kirkuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 23% lower, Kirkuk 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 IQD 6,866

$3.55 IQD 5,360

27.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 IQD 40.3K

$23.20 IQD 35.1K

14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 IQD 9,781

$5.25 IQD 7,928

23.24%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 4,054

$2.35 IQD 3,558

14.04%

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

$0.39 IQD 584

$0.38 IQD 576

2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

$0.19 IQD 283

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 IQD 5,009

$2.71 IQD 4,102

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 IQD 4,866

$3.32 IQD 5,010

-3.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,390

$0.97 IQD 1,471

-5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 IQD 1,078

$0.57 IQD 858

24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,999

$1.37 IQD 2,068

-3.65%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,577

$1.27 IQD 1,913

34.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,989

$3.37 IQD 5,090

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 IQD 6,269

$3.22 IQD 4,871

28.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

$11.21 IQD 16.9K

9.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,513

$0.74 IQD 1,121

35.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,487

$0.79 IQD 1,196

24.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 IQD 1,440

$0.86 IQD 1,294

10.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,021

$0.64 IQD 964

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 877

$0.49 IQD 736

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 854

$0.48 IQD 722

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 903

$0.56 IQD 844

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 IQD 927

$0.35 IQD 523

74.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,531

$1.67 IQD 2,521

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 IQD 17.6K

$11.67 IQD 17.6K

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 IQD 3,005

$1.28 IQD 1,937

55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,962

$1.64 IQD 2,472

19.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 IQD 480

$0.35 IQD 522

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.04 IQD 30.3K

$19.84 IQD 30.0K

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 IQD 3,045

$1.93 IQD 2,914

4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 IQD 1,964

$1.28 IQD 1,940

1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 IQD 10.1K

$6.62 IQD 10.0K

0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 870

$0.48 IQD 726

20.83%

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

$16.5K IQD 25.0M

$16.2K IQD 24.5M

1.93%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.2M

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

1.91%

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

$188 IQD 284.5K

$51.8 IQD 78.3K

263.27%

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

$19.25 IQD 29.1K

$19.86 IQD 30.0K

-3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.51 IQD 56.7K

$38.46 IQD 58.1K

-2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 IQD 60.4K

$9.62 IQD 14.5K

315.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 IQD 27.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 IQD 14.7K

$9.83 IQD 14.8K

-1.32%

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

$145 IQD 219.6K

$147 IQD 222.9K

-1.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,297 IQD 5.0M

$3,309 IQD 5.0M

-0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.60 IQD 38.7K

$25.85 IQD 39.1K

-0.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.32 IQD 50.3K

$16.19 IQD 24.5K

105.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 IQD 90.9K

$58.8 IQD 88.8K

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 63.2K

$29.49 IQD 44.6K

41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 IQD 811.6K

$167 IQD 252.8K

221.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 IQD 550.5K

$80.1 IQD 121.1K

354.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 IQD 1.5M

$195 IQD 294.5K

394.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 IQD 943.1K

$198 IQD 298.5K

215.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,276 IQD 6.5M

$501 IQD 757.5K

753.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 IQD 2.1M

$262 IQD 395.8K

426.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 IQD 782.8K

$387 IQD 584.6K

33.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

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

Last update for Baghdad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baghdad

$364 34.8%

Kirkuk

$80 14.7% 78% $284

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baghdad

$245 23.4%

Kirkuk

$110 20.2% 55% $135

Groceries & Markets

Baghdad

$164 15.6%

Kirkuk

$143 26.2% 12.8% $21

Eating Out

Baghdad

$113 10.8%

Kirkuk

$95 17.4% 16.3% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Baghdad

$72 6.9%

Kirkuk

$59 10.8% 19% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Baghdad

$59 5.7%

Kirkuk

$29 5.4% 50.7% $30

Getting Around

Baghdad

$30 2.9%

Kirkuk

$30 5.4% 0.9% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $537 in Baghdad and $167 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27 in Baghdad vs $23 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $143 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Baghdad

🇮🇶 Kirkuk

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

Same time as Baghdad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,216,040 Capital

850,787

💱 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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Between locations

Baghdad Kirkuk 240 km

From you

Baghdad
Kirkuk

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

Baghdad vs Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kirkuk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Baghdad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $537 in Baghdad versus $167 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,048 per month in Baghdad versus $545 in Kirkuk – Kirkuk is about 48% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $545 in Kirkuk versus $1,048 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Kirkuk wins on affordability, Baghdad on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.