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: $1,055 in Baghdad versus $607 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,565 in Baghdad versus $958 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Baghdad versus $1,309 in Kirkuk.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 74% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Kirkuk 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 IQD 7,206

$3.79 IQD 4,960

45.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

$26.08 IQD 34.1K

38.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$5.83 IQD 7,629

32.08%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$2.34 IQD 3,067

27.35%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.37 IQD 480

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 219

$0.19 IQD 246

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,590

$3.41 IQD 4,470

2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,839

$2.85 IQD 3,726

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,768

$1.18 IQD 1,549

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,023

$0.61 IQD 793

27.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,076

$1.65 IQD 2,156

-3.64%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$1.48 IQD 1,936

20.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,999

$4.48 IQD 5,871

2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,296

$2.79 IQD 3,652

72.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

$10.85 IQD 14.2K

30.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$0.97 IQD 1,273

26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,590

$1.01 IQD 1,323

19.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,311

$1.03 IQD 1,346

-2.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.61 IQD 794

21.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.50 IQD 658

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 881

$0.54 IQD 707

24.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.62 IQD 812

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.31 IQD 405

112.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,690

$1.88 IQD 2,464

9.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.78 IQD 2,335

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,821

$2.10 IQD 2,755

2.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.56 IQD 732

33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

-9.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,147

$2.96 IQD 3,870

32.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,922

$1.15 IQD 1,512

27.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 IQD 9,826

$7.44 IQD 9,744

0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 740

$0.50 IQD 660

12.00%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-1.57%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

1.65%

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

$176 IQD 230.7K

$53.5 IQD 70.1K

229.29%

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

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

$22.95 IQD 30.0K

12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$38.62 IQD 50.6K

6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

$14.45 IQD 18.9K

191.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.99 IQD 22.3K

9.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$7.46 IQD 9,774

4.16%

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

$168 IQD 220.3K

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

192.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

$778 IQD 1.0M

365.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$28.62 IQD 37.5K

-2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

$31.11 IQD 40.7K

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

$22.70 IQD 29.7K

186.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

189.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 IQD 725.1K

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

625.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 419.7K

$109 IQD 143.3K

192.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 IQD 1.1M

$116 IQD 152.4K

620.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 764.1K

$254 IQD 332.4K

129.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

$880 IQD 1.2M

438.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

$399 IQD 522.1K

300.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 IQD 800.9K

$635 IQD 831.5K

-3.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Baghdad and $76.3 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Baghdad vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $157 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 74% 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, salaries run 4% lower in Kirkuk. 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: $554 in Baghdad versus $76.3 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 11% 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 $57.6 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Kirkuk versus $1,055 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 74% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.