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: $759 in Hanoi versus $594 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,237 in Hanoi versus $956 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,715 in Hanoi versus $1,319 in Kirkuk.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ₫51.8K

$3.93 IQD 5,148

-49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.89 ₫706.5K

$26.11 IQD 34.2K

2.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 ₫119.7K

$5.80 IQD 7,592

-21.38%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₫47.2K

$2.31 IQD 3,031

-22.08%

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

$0.49 ₫12.7K

$0.36 IQD 474

36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,104

$0.21 IQD 280

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₫24.7K

$3.41 IQD 4,468

-72.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₫51.4K

$2.88 IQD 3,777

-31.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₫36.0K

$1.14 IQD 1,491

20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$0.65 IQD 854

52.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.59 IQD 2,078

-42.77%

Eggs

$1.55 ₫40.8K

$1.50 IQD 1,958

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 ₫241.5K

$4.59 IQD 6,012

100.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ₫101.5K

$2.89 IQD 3,781

33.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 ₫257.7K

$11.11 IQD 14.6K

-11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₫86.5K

$0.99 IQD 1,292

232.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.8K

$1.06 IQD 1,382

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₫41.1K

$1.04 IQD 1,356

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.4K

$0.64 IQD 836

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$0.50 IQD 659

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.4K

$0.54 IQD 708

87.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.8K

$0.67 IQD 877

-16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₫14.2K

$0.33 IQD 437

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.7K

$1.89 IQD 2,477

-28.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.09 ₫343.8K

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

-1.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₫25.6K

$1.79 IQD 2,349

-45.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₫46.0K

$2.09 IQD 2,736

-16.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₫9,517

$0.52 IQD 686

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.73 ₫203.0K

$30.91 IQD 40.5K

-74.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$2.92 IQD 3,823

-72.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₫15.1K

$1.13 IQD 1,479

-48.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫41.9K

$7.42 IQD 9,719

-78.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₫22.5K

$0.54 IQD 709

59.26%

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

$37.8K ₫994.4M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

87.13%

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

$31.8K ₫834.9M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

58.65%

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

$78.9 ₫2.1M

$53.9 IQD 70.6K

46.33%

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

$5.13 ₫134.8K

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

-78.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.93 ₫234.5K

$38.74 IQD 50.7K

-76.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.05 ₫737.0K

$14.51 IQD 19.0K

93.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.35 ₫298.1K

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

-31.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 ₫99.0K

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

-51.42%

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

$264 ₫6.9M

$58.2 IQD 76.3K

353.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₫303.3M

$774 IQD 1.0M

1391.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.92 ₫1.2M

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

58.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.90 ₫601.6K

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

-24.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₫2.3M

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

283.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 ₫1.9M

$14.98 IQD 19.6K

378.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₫8.7M

$74.0 IQD 96.9K

348.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₫6.6M

$110 IQD 144.3K

126.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₫20.3M

$114 IQD 149.8K

575.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₫15.6M

$249 IQD 326.0K

138.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,919 ₫129.3M

$893 IQD 1.2M

451.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,835 ₫74.5M

$396 IQD 518.8K

615.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₫13.2M

$625 IQD 818.4K

-19.63%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Hanoi and $74.0 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 24% 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 $193 vs $160 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 ($759 vs $594 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kirkuk earns 24% less. 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: $331 in Hanoi versus $74.0 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 300% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Hanoi versus $58.2 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.