Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Kirkuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Kirkuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Basra versus $633 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Basra versus $1,002 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Basra versus $1,372 in Kirkuk.

Living in Basra is roughly 51% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Kirkuk 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 IQD 5,906

$4.18 IQD 5,472

7.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$26.43 IQD 34.6K

16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 IQD 9,712

$6.04 IQD 7,911

22.85%

Cappuccino

$2.55 IQD 3,345

$2.35 IQD 3,076

8.51%

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

$0.44 IQD 571

$0.39 IQD 516

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 445

$0.25 IQD 328

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 IQD 5,113

$3.86 IQD 5,054

1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 IQD 5,398

$3.91 IQD 5,121

5.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,462

$1.09 IQD 1,425

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 917

$0.65 IQD 850

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 IQD 1,919

$1.55 IQD 2,031

-5.16%

Eggs

$1.82 IQD 2,380

$1.53 IQD 2,002

18.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 IQD 9,861

$3.79 IQD 4,963

98.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 IQD 8,333

$3.68 IQD 4,821

72.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

$12.80 IQD 16.8K

9.69%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,273

$0.81 IQD 1,061

19.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$0.92 IQD 1,208

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,274

$0.90 IQD 1,176

7.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$0.68 IQD 895

-4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,013

$0.53 IQD 701

45.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$0.54 IQD 703

20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 IQD 1,133

$0.61 IQD 804

42.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 IQD 509

$0.34 IQD 446

14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 IQD 2,726

$1.79 IQD 2,343

16.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 IQD 8,823

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

-49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 IQD 4,073

$1.51 IQD 1,982

105.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,135

$1.89 IQD 2,469

107.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 784

$0.40 IQD 522

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

-20.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,089

$2.25 IQD 2,943

4.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 IQD 2,967

$1.48 IQD 1,944

53.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 IQD 9,240

$7.46 IQD 9,764

-5.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 IQD 783

$0.54 IQD 704

11.11%

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

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

-29.65%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

21.66%

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

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

$53.9 IQD 70.5K

-4.49%

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

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

$21.46 IQD 28.1K

20.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

$42.64 IQD 55.8K

-6.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

222.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 IQD 9,955

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

-28.44%

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

$127 IQD 166.6K

$171 IQD 223.5K

-25.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

$3,434 IQD 4.5M

13.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

$30.15 IQD 39.5K

65.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

4.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

$34.21 IQD 44.8K

21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 IQD 624.8K

$190 IQD 248.7K

151.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.0K

$90.7 IQD 118.8K

281.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 IQD 1.1M

$233 IQD 305.5K

265.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 IQD 819.5K

$225 IQD 294.4K

178.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

$574 IQD 752.2K

174.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 IQD 1.0M

$308 IQD 403.0K

155.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 IQD 1.0M

$442 IQD 579.2K

75.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

4.12

37.62%

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

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Basra and $190 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 76% 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: $31.00 in Basra vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $162 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

Basra vs Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Kirkuk differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $633 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Basra, 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: $477 in Basra versus $190 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kirkuk – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $633 in Kirkuk versus $957 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Basra. 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 51% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.