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: $609 in Kirkuk versus $732 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $960 in Kirkuk versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,311 in Kirkuk versus $1,969 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 55% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$3.85 IQD 5,037

-1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

$24.88 IQD 32.6K

3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$7.03 IQD 9,205

-18.07%

Cappuccino

$2.34 IQD 3,064

$2.06 IQD 2,696

13.59%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.44 IQD 574

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 235

$0.32 IQD 413

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,468

$3.80 IQD 4,982

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,782

$2.71 IQD 3,551

6.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,498

$1.19 IQD 1,558

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 796

$0.70 IQD 920

-12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,182

$1.47 IQD 1,927

13.61%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 1,941

$1.83 IQD 2,401

-19.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,997

$7.95 IQD 10.4K

-42.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 IQD 3,727

$7.05 IQD 9,238

-59.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 IQD 14.1K

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

-18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,180

$1.01 IQD 1,325

-10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,334

$1.40 IQD 1,837

-27.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,296

$1.04 IQD 1,363

-4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.59 IQD 774

8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 643

$0.69 IQD 900

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 651

$0.57 IQD 746

-12.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 830

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 401

$0.38 IQD 500

-18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,440

$1.88 IQD 2,468

-1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$13.04 IQD 17.1K

3.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,311

$2.99 IQD 3,916

-41.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,760

$3.77 IQD 4,934

-44.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 727

$0.37 IQD 481

51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.66 IQD 41.5K

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

39.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 IQD 3,832

$2.33 IQD 3,051

25.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 IQD 1,451

$2.30 IQD 3,017

-51.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

$6.83 IQD 8,942

11.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 697

$0.59 IQD 778

-10.17%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

50.98%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$22.5K IQD 29.5M

-10.05%

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

$52.7 IQD 69.0K

$57.8 IQD 75.6K

-8.79%

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

$23.40 IQD 30.6K

$25.61 IQD 33.5K

-8.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 IQD 50.8K

$38.89 IQD 50.9K

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.67 IQD 19.2K

$36.10 IQD 47.3K

-59.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$15.35 IQD 20.1K

11.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 IQD 9,819

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-2.72%

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

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

$95.9 IQD 125.6K

-38.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$780 IQD 1.0M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-79.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.28 IQD 37.0K

$42.37 IQD 55.5K

-33.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.17 IQD 39.5K

$20.39 IQD 26.7K

47.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.14 IQD 30.3K

$71.5 IQD 93.7K

-67.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.72 IQD 19.3K

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

-63.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

$443 IQD 580.2K

-83.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 IQD 142.1K

$136 IQD 177.8K

-20.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 147.8K

$929 IQD 1.2M

-87.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 IQD 329.5K

$668 IQD 875.3K

-62.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 IQD 1.1M

$1,604 IQD 2.1M

-45.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$398 IQD 520.7K

$780 IQD 1.0M

-49.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 IQD 826.1K

$772 IQD 1.0M

-18.33%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Basra: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.8 in Kirkuk and $443 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 22% 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 $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $157 vs $211, 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 ($609 vs $732 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 22% 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: $73.8 in Kirkuk versus $443 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 $25.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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.