🙂A single person spends $609 per month in Kirkuk vs $631 in Cabanatuan, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,003 per month in Kirkuk vs $976 in Cabanatuan, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,396 per month in Kirkuk vs $1,321 in Cabanatuan, rent included.
🙂Kirkuk is about 3% cheaper than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Kirkuk and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Kirkuk56% lower, Cabanatuan54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.17IQD 5,455
$4.01₱252
3.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.64IQD 34.9K
$16.57₱1,039
60.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.96IQD 7,802
$2.84₱178
109.86%
Cappuccino
$2.47IQD 3,241
$1.79₱112
37.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36IQD 477
$0.60₱37.67
-40.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23IQD 299
$0.32₱19.93
-28.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.77IQD 4,936
$0.99₱61.9
280.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80IQD 4,970
$1.58₱99.0
140.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04IQD 1,360
$1.70₱106
-38.82%
White Bread(500g)
$0.64IQD 839
$1.12₱70.3
-42.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.52IQD 1,991
$0.90₱56.3
68.89%
Eggs
$1.52IQD 1,993
$2.08₱130
-26.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.78IQD 4,948
$5.03₱315
-24.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.75IQD 4,906
$3.41₱214
9.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.21IQD 17.3K
$7.74₱485
70.67%
Apples(1kg)
$0.82IQD 1,077
$2.33₱146
-64.81%
Banana(1kg)
$0.97IQD 1,276
$1.06₱66.3
-8.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.90IQD 1,172
$2.39₱150
-62.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.70IQD 921
$0.77₱48.29
-9.09%
Potato(1kg)
$0.55IQD 714
$1.76₱111
-68.75%
Onion(1kg)
$0.54IQD 704
$1.74₱109
-68.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.58IQD 755
$0.62₱38.65
-6.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34IQD 450
$0.49₱30.54
-30.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.78IQD 2,329
$2.92₱183
-39.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.67IQD 17.9K
$8.77₱550
55.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56IQD 2,039
$0.93₱58.2
67.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92IQD 2,517
$2.01₱126
-4.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.37IQD 482
$0.27₱17.09
37.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.92IQD 30.0K
$11.32₱709
102.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.35IQD 3,082
$0.77₱48.01
205.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.56IQD 2,037
$0.25₱15.73
524.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.71IQD 10.1K
$1.88₱118
310.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.53IQD 689
$1.00₱62.4
-47.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.8KIQD 24.7M
$21.6K₱1.4M
-12.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2KIQD 25.1M
$19.4K₱1.2M
-1.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$54.3IQD 71.1K
$54.4₱3,408
-0.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.23IQD 27.8K
$17.28₱1,083
22.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.84IQD 54.8K
$21.47₱1,346
94.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$11.25IQD 14.7K
$11.04₱692
1.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$4.72₱296
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.55IQD 13.8K
$5.11₱321
106.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$167IQD 218.7K
$134₱8,423
24.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,487IQD 4.6M
$10.5K₱660.7K
-66.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.12IQD 38.1K
$24.27₱1,521
19.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.34IQD 25.3K
$19.70₱1,235
-1.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.1IQD 97.1K
$61.2₱3,836
21.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.98IQD 45.8K
$55.1₱3,454
-36.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$194IQD 254.3K
$265₱16.6K
-26.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$92.5IQD 121.1K
$170₱10.6K
-45.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$229IQD 300.2K
$506₱31.7K
-54.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$226IQD 295.4K
$350₱21.9K
-35.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$583IQD 762.8K
$2,631₱164.9K
-77.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$309IQD 404.6K
$1,028₱64.4K
-69.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$443IQD 580.3K
$161₱10.1K
175.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.12
6.75
-38.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kirkuk: September 6, 2026
Last update for Cabanatuan: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Kirkuk versus $265 in Cabanatuan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 175% higher in Kirkuk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Kirkuk versus $17.00 in Cabanatuan. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Kirkuk vs $170 in Cabanatuan – so Kirkuk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kirkuk and in Cabanatuan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $609 in Kirkuk, $631 in Cabanatuan – roughly 4% apart. Cabanatuan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Kirkuk compared to Cabanatuan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $914 per month in Kirkuk and $946 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kirkuk and Cabanatuan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirkuk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Kirkuk and $17.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kirkuk or Cabanatuan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $609 in Kirkuk and $631 in Cabanatuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How far does $1,000 go in Kirkuk compared to Cabanatuan?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $609 in Kirkuk and $631 in Cabanatuan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Kirkuk or Cabanatuan?
Families tend to lean toward Kirkuk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kirkuk or Cabanatuan safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Kirkuk and Cabanatuan?
If budget matters most, go with Kirkuk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabanatuan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.