Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Kirkuk versus $1,055 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Kirkuk versus $1,565 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,309 in Kirkuk versus $2,074 in Baghdad.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 42% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 54% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,960

$5.50 IQD 7,206

-31.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.08 IQD 34.1K

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

-28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 IQD 7,629

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-24.29%

Cappuccino

$2.34 IQD 3,067

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-21.48%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.36 IQD 477

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 246

$0.17 IQD 219

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,470

$3.51 IQD 4,590

-2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 IQD 3,726

$2.93 IQD 3,839

-2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$1.35 IQD 1,768

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 793

$0.78 IQD 1,023

-21.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$1.59 IQD 2,076

3.77%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$1.79 IQD 2,338

-17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 IQD 5,871

$4.58 IQD 5,999

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.79 IQD 3,652

$4.81 IQD 6,296

-42.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 IQD 14.2K

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

-23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,273

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-21.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.21 IQD 1,590

-16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$1.00 IQD 1,311

3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 794

$0.74 IQD 970

-17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 658

$0.65 IQD 854

-23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 707

$0.67 IQD 881

-19.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 812

$0.62 IQD 817

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 405

$0.66 IQD 861

-53.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$2.05 IQD 2,690

-8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,335

$1.79 IQD 2,346

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,755

$2.15 IQD 2,821

-2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.75 IQD 976

-25.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

10.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 IQD 3,870

$3.93 IQD 5,147

-24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 IQD 1,512

$1.47 IQD 1,922

-21.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 IQD 9,744

$7.50 IQD 9,826

-0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 660

$0.56 IQD 740

-10.71%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

1.60%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

-1.62%

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

$53.5 IQD 70.1K

$176 IQD 230.7K

-69.63%

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

$22.95 IQD 30.0K

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.62 IQD 50.6K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.45 IQD 18.9K

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

-65.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 IQD 22.3K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

-8.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 IQD 9,774

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-3.99%

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

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

$168 IQD 220.3K

-65.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

-78.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.62 IQD 37.5K

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

2.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.11 IQD 40.7K

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.70 IQD 29.7K

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

-65.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

-65.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

$554 IQD 725.1K

-86.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 IQD 143.3K

$321 IQD 419.7K

-65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 152.4K

$839 IQD 1.1M

-86.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 IQD 332.4K

$583 IQD 764.1K

-56.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$880 IQD 1.2M

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

-81.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 IQD 522.1K

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

-75.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 IQD 831.5K

$612 IQD 800.9K

3.82%

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 Kirkuk: July 26, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.3 in Kirkuk and $554 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Kirkuk vs $36.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $190 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

Kirkuk vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kirkuk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Kirkuk, 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: $76.3 in Kirkuk versus $554 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kirkuk runs roughly 11% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $57.6 in Kirkuk versus $168 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Kirkuk versus $1,055 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. 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 74% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.