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: $728 in Basra versus $607 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Basra versus $958 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Basra versus $1,309 in Kirkuk.

Living in Basra is roughly 20% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Kirkuk 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$3.79 IQD 4,960

0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

$26.08 IQD 34.1K

-6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 9,289

$5.83 IQD 7,629

21.61%

Cappuccino

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$2.34 IQD 3,067

-12.82%

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

$0.47 IQD 609

$0.37 IQD 480

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.19 IQD 246

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,038

$3.41 IQD 4,470

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 IQD 3,382

$2.85 IQD 3,726

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.18 IQD 1,549

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 917

$0.61 IQD 793

14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,857

$1.65 IQD 2,156

-13.94%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,428

$1.48 IQD 1,936

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

$4.48 IQD 5,871

84.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 IQD 9,131

$2.79 IQD 3,652

149.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$10.85 IQD 14.2K

22.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,382

$0.97 IQD 1,273

9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.01 IQD 1,323

34.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.03 IQD 1,346

0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.61 IQD 794

-3.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$0.50 IQD 658

34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.54 IQD 707

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.62 IQD 812

29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.31 IQD 405

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$1.88 IQD 2,464

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

-5.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 IQD 4,125

$1.78 IQD 2,335

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 IQD 5,155

$2.10 IQD 2,755

87.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.56 IQD 732

-30.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

-26.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,025

$2.96 IQD 3,870

-21.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.15 IQD 1,512

100.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 IQD 8,900

$7.44 IQD 9,744

-8.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 766

$0.50 IQD 660

16.00%

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

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-32.42%

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

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

18.13%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$53.5 IQD 70.1K

5.70%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$22.95 IQD 30.0K

11.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

$38.62 IQD 50.6K

-2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

$14.45 IQD 18.9K

150.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

$16.99 IQD 22.3K

-8.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.46 IQD 9,774

3.35%

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

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

65.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

$778 IQD 1.0M

382.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

$28.62 IQD 37.5K

45.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

$31.11 IQD 40.7K

-35.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

$22.70 IQD 29.7K

215.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

174.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 IQD 593.2K

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

493.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 172.4K

$109 IQD 143.3K

20.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 IQD 1.2M

$116 IQD 152.4K

675.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 IQD 857.9K

$254 IQD 332.4K

158.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

$880 IQD 1.2M

77.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

$399 IQD 522.1K

99.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 IQD 996.3K

$635 IQD 831.5K

19.82%

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 Basra: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Basra and $76.3 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 20% 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: $24.00 in Basra vs $26.00 in Kirkuk. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $157, with Kirkuk cheaper for home cooking.

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 20% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $607 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $453 in Basra versus $76.3 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% 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 $24.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $607 in Kirkuk versus $728 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 20% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.