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: $591 in Kirkuk versus $728 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $947 in Kirkuk versus $1,340 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,303 in Kirkuk versus $1,953 in Basra.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 19% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 56% lower, Basra 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 IQD 4,904

$3.72 IQD 4,877

0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.51 IQD 33.4K

$24.46 IQD 32.0K

4.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 IQD 7,322

$7.02 IQD 9,196

-20.37%

Cappuccino

$2.26 IQD 2,967

$2.10 IQD 2,753

7.62%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.46 IQD 609

-21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.34 IQD 449

-38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,431

$3.76 IQD 4,927

-10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,780

$2.71 IQD 3,553

6.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 IQD 1,506

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-6.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 804

$0.70 IQD 919

-12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,066

$1.42 IQD 1,854

11.27%

Eggs

$1.45 IQD 1,896

$1.89 IQD 2,475

-23.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 IQD 5,722

$7.93 IQD 10.4K

-44.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 IQD 3,714

$7.21 IQD 9,442

-60.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 IQD 14.6K

$12.95 IQD 17.0K

-13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,205

$1.01 IQD 1,317

-8.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,397

$1.42 IQD 1,857

-24.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,347

$1.04 IQD 1,364

-0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.62 IQD 814

-4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 653

$0.67 IQD 879

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 661

$0.62 IQD 807

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 IQD 434

$0.42 IQD 545

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.95 IQD 2,551

-4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$12.85 IQD 16.8K

3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,394

$3.12 IQD 4,091

-41.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,763

$3.92 IQD 5,136

-46.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 IQD 692

$0.37 IQD 482

43.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.69 IQD 41.5K

$23.25 IQD 30.5K

36.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 IQD 3,822

$2.35 IQD 3,083

24.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$2.31 IQD 3,033

-50.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$6.97 IQD 9,134

10.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 707

$0.56 IQD 733

-3.57%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

53.04%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

-11.89%

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

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

$57.6 IQD 75.5K

-7.48%

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

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

-10.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.06 IQD 49.9K

$37.76 IQD 49.5K

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

$37.25 IQD 48.8K

-60.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

$15.13 IQD 19.8K

9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-1.54%

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

$58.0 IQD 76.0K

$97.7 IQD 128.0K

-40.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$788 IQD 1.0M

$3,869 IQD 5.1M

-79.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.59 IQD 37.5K

$42.39 IQD 55.5K

-32.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.57 IQD 40.0K

$20.70 IQD 27.1K

47.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.18 IQD 30.4K

$71.8 IQD 94.1K

-67.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.28 IQD 20.0K

$41.04 IQD 53.8K

-62.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 IQD 96.8K

$448 IQD 587.4K

-83.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 IQD 141.7K

$136 IQD 177.8K

-20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 152.2K

$917 IQD 1.2M

-87.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 IQD 325.6K

$676 IQD 885.2K

-63.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 IQD 1.2M

$1,608 IQD 2.1M

-44.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 IQD 531.4K

$777 IQD 1.0M

-47.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 IQD 833.0K

$767 IQD 1.0M

-17.13%

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 Basra: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Kirkuk and $448 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 21% 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 $158 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 23% in total monthly costs ($591 vs $728 including rent). Kirkuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 21% 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: $73.9 in Kirkuk versus $448 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.

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 23% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.