Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Kirkuk versus $728 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Kirkuk versus $1,366 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,309 in Kirkuk versus $2,003 in Basra.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 17% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 54% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,960

$3.80 IQD 4,974

-0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.08 IQD 34.1K

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 IQD 7,629

$7.09 IQD 9,289

-17.77%

Cappuccino

$2.34 IQD 3,067

$2.04 IQD 2,675

14.71%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.47 IQD 609

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 246

$0.35 IQD 454

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,470

$3.85 IQD 5,038

-11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 IQD 3,726

$2.58 IQD 3,382

10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$1.18 IQD 1,551

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 793

$0.70 IQD 917

-12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$1.42 IQD 1,857

16.20%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$1.85 IQD 2,428

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 IQD 5,871

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

-45.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.79 IQD 3,652

$6.97 IQD 9,131

-59.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 IQD 14.2K

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

-18.60%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,273

$1.06 IQD 1,382

-8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-25.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$1.04 IQD 1,363

-0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 794

$0.59 IQD 769

3.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 658

$0.67 IQD 872

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 707

$0.56 IQD 737

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 812

$0.80 IQD 1,044

-22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 405

$0.42 IQD 548

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$1.89 IQD 2,479

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,335

$3.15 IQD 4,125

-43.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,755

$3.94 IQD 5,155

-46.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.39 IQD 511

43.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

36.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 IQD 3,870

$2.31 IQD 3,025

28.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 IQD 1,512

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-50.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 IQD 9,744

$6.80 IQD 8,900

9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 660

$0.58 IQD 766

-13.79%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

47.97%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

-15.35%

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

$53.5 IQD 70.1K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

-5.39%

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

$22.95 IQD 30.0K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

-10.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.62 IQD 50.6K

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

2.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.45 IQD 18.9K

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

-60.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 IQD 22.3K

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

9.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 IQD 9,774

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-3.24%

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

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

-39.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

-79.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.62 IQD 37.5K

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

-31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.11 IQD 40.7K

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

55.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.70 IQD 29.7K

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

-68.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

-63.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

$453 IQD 593.2K

-83.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 IQD 143.3K

$132 IQD 172.4K

-16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 152.4K

$902 IQD 1.2M

-87.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 IQD 332.4K

$655 IQD 857.9K

-61.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$880 IQD 1.2M

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

-43.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 IQD 522.1K

$795 IQD 1.0M

-49.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 IQD 831.5K

$761 IQD 996.3K

-16.54%

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 Basra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.3 in Kirkuk and $453 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Kirkuk vs $24.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $157 vs $213, with Kirkuk cheaper for home cooking.

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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk and Basra differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($607 vs $728 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Basra. 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: $76.3 in Kirkuk versus $453 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kirkuk – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $24.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $607 in Kirkuk versus $728 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Basra. 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 20% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.