Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Duhok Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Duhok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $691 per month in Chengdu vs $657 in Duhok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Chengdu vs $1,064 in Duhok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Chengdu vs $1,471 in Duhok, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 5% more than Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chengdu and Duhok are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 48% lower, Duhok 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.16

$3.89 IQD 5,088

-26.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.43 ¥158

$19.44 IQD 25.5K

20.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ¥33.36

$6.91 IQD 9,049

-28.51%

Cappuccino

$2.79 ¥18.85

$2.62 IQD 3,428

6.49%

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

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.43 IQD 561

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.18 IQD 242

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.67

$1.12 IQD 1,462

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥14.23

$1.90 IQD 2,486

11.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.33 IQD 1,741

34.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.77

$0.85 IQD 1,107

70.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.17

$1.64 IQD 2,147

-44.51%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.97

$1.88 IQD 2,457

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥91.9

$5.05 IQD 6,609

169.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ¥24.65

$3.06 IQD 4,012

19.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ¥77.1

$12.54 IQD 16.4K

-8.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.40

$1.12 IQD 1,469

64.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.30

$1.20 IQD 1,572

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 ¥9.72

$0.86 IQD 1,121

67.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.18

$0.74 IQD 974

43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.80

$0.66 IQD 861

7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.74

$0.72 IQD 938

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.77 IQD 1,015

-22.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.51 IQD 672

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥22.92

$1.86 IQD 2,434

82.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.72

$12.31 IQD 16.1K

-55.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.36

$1.38 IQD 1,801

-31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.71

$1.93 IQD 2,523

-2.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.35 IQD 464

22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 ¥188

$15.90 IQD 20.8K

74.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$2.33 IQD 3,048

-47.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$1.52 IQD 1,996

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ¥28.87

$6.11 IQD 8,001

-29.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.70 IQD 915

60.00%

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

$18.7K ¥126.0K

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

-3.40%

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

$16.7K ¥112.5K

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

-15.28%

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

$44.08 ¥298

$92.8 IQD 121.5K

-52.48%

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

$11.44 ¥77.2

$9.85 IQD 12.9K

16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.59 ¥78.2

$29.48 IQD 38.6K

-60.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.88 ¥161

$51.6 IQD 67.5K

-53.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ¥78.2

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

-31.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ¥36.66

$7.57 IQD 9,918

-28.27%

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

$342 ¥2,310

$111 IQD 145.5K

208.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.0K

$3,227 IQD 4.2M

280.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.64 ¥247

$10.14 IQD 13.3K

261.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.88 ¥262

$20.20 IQD 26.4K

92.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 ¥448

$30.15 IQD 39.5K

120.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 ¥347

$20.29 IQD 26.6K

153.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ¥2,095

$177 IQD 232.4K

74.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,216

$125 IQD 163.9K

43.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,125

$367 IQD 480.3K

66.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥2,187

$346 IQD 453.0K

-6.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 ¥25.6K

$466 IQD 609.7K

714.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.9K

$385 IQD 503.5K

396.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,258 ¥8,491

$424 IQD 554.6K

196.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

14.33

-70.62%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 25, 2026

Last update for Duhok: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Chengdu versus $177 in Duhok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 197% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chengdu versus $19.00 in Duhok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $172 – making Duhok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chengdu vs Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $691 in Chengdu, $657 in Duhok – roughly 5% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,037 per month in Chengdu and $986 in Duhok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Duhok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chengdu and $19.00 in Duhok. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $691 in Chengdu and $657 in Duhok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $691 in Chengdu and $657 in Duhok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Duhok – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Duhok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.