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: $633 in Kirkuk versus $957 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,002 in Kirkuk versus $1,450 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,372 in Kirkuk versus $1,944 in Basra.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 34% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 54% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.18 IQD 5,472

$4.51 IQD 5,906

-7.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.43 IQD 34.6K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 IQD 7,911

$7.42 IQD 9,712

-18.60%

Cappuccino

$2.35 IQD 3,076

$2.55 IQD 3,345

-7.84%

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

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.44 IQD 571

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 IQD 328

$0.34 IQD 445

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,054

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 IQD 5,121

$4.12 IQD 5,398

-5.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,425

$1.12 IQD 1,462

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 850

$0.70 IQD 917

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 IQD 2,031

$1.47 IQD 1,919

5.44%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,002

$1.82 IQD 2,380

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.79 IQD 4,963

$7.53 IQD 9,861

-49.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 IQD 4,821

$6.36 IQD 8,333

-42.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 IQD 16.8K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-8.83%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$0.97 IQD 1,273

-16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,208

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,176

$0.97 IQD 1,274

-7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$0.65 IQD 856

4.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 IQD 701

$0.77 IQD 1,013

-31.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 703

$0.65 IQD 856

-16.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 IQD 804

$0.87 IQD 1,133

-29.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 446

$0.39 IQD 509

-12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 IQD 2,343

$2.08 IQD 2,726

-13.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

$6.74 IQD 8,823

99.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 IQD 2,469

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-51.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.60 IQD 784

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

25.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,943

$2.36 IQD 3,089

-4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,944

$2.27 IQD 2,967

-34.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 IQD 9,764

$7.06 IQD 9,240

5.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.60 IQD 783

-10.00%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

42.14%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-17.80%

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

$53.9 IQD 70.5K

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

4.71%

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

$21.46 IQD 28.1K

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

-17.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.64 IQD 55.8K

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

7.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.25 IQD 14.7K

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

-68.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

$7.60 IQD 9,955

39.74%

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

$171 IQD 223.5K

$127 IQD 166.6K

34.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,434 IQD 4.5M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-11.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.15 IQD 39.5K

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

-39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

-4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 IQD 97.2K

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

-3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.21 IQD 44.8K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 IQD 248.7K

$477 IQD 624.8K

-60.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.7 IQD 118.8K

$346 IQD 453.0K

-73.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 IQD 305.5K

$853 IQD 1.1M

-72.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 IQD 294.4K

$626 IQD 819.5K

-64.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 752.2K

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

-63.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$308 IQD 403.0K

$786 IQD 1.0M

-60.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 IQD 579.2K

$777 IQD 1.0M

-43.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.67

-27.34%

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

Last update for Kirkuk: September 14, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $190 in Kirkuk and $477 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 76% 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 $31.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $197 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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk and Basra differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($633 vs $957 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% 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: $190 in Kirkuk versus $477 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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 $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $633 in Kirkuk versus $957 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 51% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.