Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Kirkuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Kirkuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $758 in Hanoi versus $594 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $952 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Hanoi versus $1,310 in Kirkuk.

Living in Hanoi is roughly 28% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 43% lower, Kirkuk 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$3.80 IQD 4,977

-49.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 ₫716.1K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

6.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.4K

$5.81 IQD 7,611

-20.48%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫47.2K

$2.26 IQD 2,958

-20.80%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$0.39 IQD 511

25.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,104

$0.20 IQD 263

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$3.54 IQD 4,632

-73.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₫51.0K

$2.85 IQD 3,738

-31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$1.18 IQD 1,551

20.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$0.60 IQD 789

63.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.65 IQD 2,157

-44.85%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$1.43 IQD 1,868

4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₫235.1K

$4.54 IQD 5,945

96.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫99.4K

$2.92 IQD 3,819

29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ₫249.4K

$10.75 IQD 14.1K

-11.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₫85.7K

$0.92 IQD 1,199

254.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$1.02 IQD 1,329

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$1.02 IQD 1,336

56.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.5K

$0.61 IQD 793

77.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$0.46 IQD 608

132.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.7K

$0.51 IQD 664

105.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$0.67 IQD 878

-17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$0.31 IQD 403

83.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$1.96 IQD 2,565

-29.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 ₫355.9K

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$1.76 IQD 2,304

-48.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₫46.2K

$2.17 IQD 2,845

-18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,776

$0.53 IQD 688

-37.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.56 ₫198.8K

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

-75.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$3.07 IQD 4,020

-73.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.0K

$1.11 IQD 1,454

-45.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-79.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.1K

$0.51 IQD 664

64.71%

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

$38.6K ₫1.0B

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

94.51%

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

$32.3K ₫847.9M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

63.95%

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

$78.8 ₫2.1M

$53.7 IQD 70.3K

46.85%

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

$5.14 ₫135.1K

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

-77.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.79 ₫231.1K

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

-77.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 ₫749.0K

$14.94 IQD 19.6K

90.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ₫289.7K

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

-33.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ₫98.5K

$7.58 IQD 9,925

-50.66%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$57.7 IQD 75.5K

365.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₫300.7M

$772 IQD 1.0M

1380.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₫1.2M

$27.98 IQD 36.6K

60.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 ₫611.1K

$31.00 IQD 40.6K

-25.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$22.78 IQD 29.8K

285.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ₫1.9M

$14.94 IQD 19.6K

392.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₫8.6M

$74.7 IQD 97.9K

339.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.5M

$108 IQD 141.8K

129.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₫20.3M

$113 IQD 148.2K

581.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₫16.0M

$253 IQD 330.9K

140.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,891 ₫128.6M

$878 IQD 1.1M

457.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 ₫71.2M

$397 IQD 519.6K

582.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₫13.6M

$616 IQD 806.8K

-16.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

5.67

60.49%

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

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $329 in Hanoi and $74.7 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 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

Hanoi vs Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanoi and Kirkuk differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($758 vs $594 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $329 in Hanoi versus $74.7 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 309% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Hanoi versus $57.7 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kirkuk gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Hanoi and Kirkuk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.