Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Kirkuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Kirkuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Baghdad versus $591 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Baghdad versus $947 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,088 in Baghdad versus $1,303 in Kirkuk.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 82% more expensive than Kirkuk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Kirkuk 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,893

$3.74 IQD 4,904

40.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 IQD 48.4K

$25.51 IQD 33.4K

44.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 IQD 9,779

$5.59 IQD 7,322

33.45%

Cappuccino

$3.01 IQD 3,940

$2.26 IQD 2,967

33.19%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.36 IQD 478

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 230

$0.21 IQD 269

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,597

$3.38 IQD 4,431

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,707

$2.89 IQD 3,780

-2.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,785

$1.15 IQD 1,506

18.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,042

$0.61 IQD 804

31.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,103

$1.58 IQD 2,066

1.90%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,248

$1.45 IQD 1,896

18.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,760

$4.37 IQD 5,722

0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 IQD 6,374

$2.84 IQD 3,714

71.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 IQD 18.2K

$11.15 IQD 14.6K

24.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,678

$0.92 IQD 1,205

39.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,523

$1.07 IQD 1,397

8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.03 IQD 1,347

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.59 IQD 777

18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$0.50 IQD 653

36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 831

$0.50 IQD 661

26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.63 IQD 827

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 867

$0.33 IQD 434

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,714

$1.86 IQD 2,439

11.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,413

$1.83 IQD 2,394

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,712

$2.11 IQD 2,763

-1.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 964

$0.53 IQD 692

39.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$31.69 IQD 41.5K

-10.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,114

$2.92 IQD 3,822

33.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$1.15 IQD 1,509

27.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 IQD 9,966

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 701

$0.54 IQD 707

-1.85%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-2.48%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

-0.95%

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

$179 IQD 234.4K

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

235.63%

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

$25.76 IQD 33.7K

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

12.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 IQD 53.6K

$38.06 IQD 49.9K

7.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

181.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.57 IQD 24.3K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

12.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

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

$168 IQD 220.4K

$58.0 IQD 76.0K

190.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

$788 IQD 1.0M

348.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$28.59 IQD 37.5K

-0.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

$30.57 IQD 40.0K

0.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 IQD 85.2K

$23.18 IQD 30.4K

180.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

$15.28 IQD 20.0K

187.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 IQD 730.1K

$73.9 IQD 96.8K

654.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 IQD 424.9K

$108 IQD 141.7K

199.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 IQD 1.1M

$116 IQD 152.2K

607.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 IQD 778.1K

$249 IQD 325.6K

138.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,867 IQD 5.1M

$887 IQD 1.2M

335.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,428 IQD 1.9M

$406 IQD 531.4K

252.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 IQD 814.6K

$636 IQD 833.0K

-2.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

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

Last update for Baghdad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $557 in Baghdad and $73.9 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $158 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

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 82% 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.

On paper, Kirkuk earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $557 in Baghdad versus $73.9 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kirkuk runs roughly 12% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $168 in Baghdad versus $58.0 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $591 in Kirkuk versus $1,074 in Baghdad, a $1,500 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.

Expats usually find Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.