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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Chengdu vs $646 in Duhok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Chengdu vs $1,057 in Duhok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,511 per month in Chengdu vs $1,468 in Duhok, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 7% more than Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chengdu and Duhok are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 48% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.36

$3.93 IQD 5,146

-31.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.62 ¥160

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.89

$6.94 IQD 9,081

-27.81%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ¥19.33

$2.53 IQD 3,311

12.65%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.42 IQD 555

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.18 IQD 237

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.17 IQD 1,532

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.94

$1.93 IQD 2,524

6.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.95

$1.36 IQD 1,783

29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.80

$0.86 IQD 1,124

68.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$1.57 IQD 2,060

-45.22%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.63

$1.87 IQD 2,449

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 ¥94.2

$5.24 IQD 6,857

165.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ¥24.74

$2.93 IQD 3,826

24.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ¥77.1

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

-11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.42

$1.12 IQD 1,469

63.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$1.20 IQD 1,565

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.26

$0.82 IQD 1,070

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.19

$0.71 IQD 929

49.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.75

$0.70 IQD 919

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.06

$0.70 IQD 910

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.73 IQD 957

-23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.56 IQD 732

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ¥22.76

$1.86 IQD 2,432

80.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.42 ¥36.70

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-57.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$1.44 IQD 1,884

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.66

$1.97 IQD 2,575

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.33 IQD 431

24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.48 ¥186

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

73.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$2.23 IQD 2,919

-45.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$1.54 IQD 2,017

-83.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ¥29.02

$6.08 IQD 7,949

-29.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$0.66 IQD 861

71.21%

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

$18.8K ¥127.5K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-1.13%

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

$16.4K ¥111.0K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-17.21%

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

$43.99 ¥298

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

-53.11%

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

$11.52 ¥78.0

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

19.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 ¥79.2

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

-60.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.22 ¥164

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

-53.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

-32.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ¥38.80

$7.44 IQD 9,737

-22.98%

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

$338 ¥2,287

$115 IQD 150.0K

194.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ¥82.8K

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

266.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 ¥256

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

272.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.95 ¥257

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

92.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

124.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.73 ¥337

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

151.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥2,137

$180 IQD 235.3K

75.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ¥1,232

$124 IQD 162.5K

46.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ¥4,166

$367 IQD 479.6K

67.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥2,233

$346 IQD 452.3K

-4.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,780 ¥25.6K

$471 IQD 615.6K

703.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 ¥12.9K

$394 IQD 515.0K

385.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ¥8,259

$430 IQD 562.4K

183.66%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Duhok: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Chengdu versus $180 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 184% 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 $24.00 in Chengdu versus $19.00 in Duhok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $174 – 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: $693 in Chengdu, $646 in Duhok – roughly 7% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,040 per month in Chengdu and $969 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 $24.00 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 $693 in Chengdu and $646 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 $693 in Chengdu and $646 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.