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: $591 in Kirkuk versus $1,074 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $947 in Kirkuk versus $1,581 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,303 in Kirkuk versus $2,088 in Baghdad.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 45% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 56% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 IQD 4,904

$5.26 IQD 6,893

-28.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.51 IQD 33.4K

$36.91 IQD 48.4K

-30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 IQD 7,322

$7.46 IQD 9,779

-25.07%

Cappuccino

$2.26 IQD 2,967

$3.01 IQD 3,940

-24.92%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.36 IQD 477

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.18 IQD 230

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,431

$3.51 IQD 4,597

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,780

$2.83 IQD 3,707

2.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 IQD 1,506

$1.36 IQD 1,785

-15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 804

$0.80 IQD 1,042

-23.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,066

$1.61 IQD 2,103

-1.86%

Eggs

$1.45 IQD 1,896

$1.72 IQD 2,248

-15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 IQD 5,722

$4.40 IQD 5,760

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 IQD 3,714

$4.87 IQD 6,374

-41.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 IQD 14.6K

$13.88 IQD 18.2K

-19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,205

$1.28 IQD 1,678

-28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,397

$1.16 IQD 1,523

-7.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,347

$1.01 IQD 1,323

1.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.70 IQD 921

-15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 653

$0.68 IQD 895

-26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 661

$0.63 IQD 831

-20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.63 IQD 824

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 IQD 434

$0.66 IQD 867

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$2.07 IQD 2,714

-10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,394

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,763

$2.07 IQD 2,712

1.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 IQD 692

$0.74 IQD 964

-28.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.69 IQD 41.5K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

11.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 IQD 3,822

$3.90 IQD 5,114

-25.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$1.47 IQD 1,923

-21.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$7.61 IQD 9,966

1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 707

$0.53 IQD 701

1.89%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

2.54%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

0.96%

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

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

$179 IQD 234.4K

-70.21%

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

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$25.76 IQD 33.7K

-11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.06 IQD 49.9K

$40.94 IQD 53.6K

-7.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

-64.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

$18.57 IQD 24.3K

-11.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

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

$58.0 IQD 76.0K

$168 IQD 220.4K

-65.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$788 IQD 1.0M

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

-77.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.59 IQD 37.5K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.57 IQD 40.0K

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-0.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.18 IQD 30.4K

$65.0 IQD 85.2K

-64.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.28 IQD 20.0K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

-65.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 IQD 96.8K

$557 IQD 730.1K

-86.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 IQD 141.7K

$324 IQD 424.9K

-66.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 152.2K

$822 IQD 1.1M

-85.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 IQD 325.6K

$594 IQD 778.1K

-58.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 IQD 1.2M

$3,867 IQD 5.1M

-77.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 IQD 531.4K

$1,428 IQD 1.9M

-71.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 IQD 833.0K

$622 IQD 814.6K

2.26%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Kirkuk and $557 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 2% 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 $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $189 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 82% 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.

Kirkuk pays 2% more on average, 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: $73.9 in Kirkuk versus $557 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 12% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $58.0 in Kirkuk versus $168 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $591 in Kirkuk versus $1,074 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 82% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.