😐A single person spends $594 per month in Kirkuk vs $531 in Cabanatuan, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $956 per month in Kirkuk vs $1,030 in Cabanatuan, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,319 per month in Kirkuk vs $1,530 in Cabanatuan, rent included.
😐Kirkuk costs about 12% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Kirkuk and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Kirkuk56% lower, Cabanatuan60% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.93IQD 5,148
$4.55₱280
-13.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.11IQD 34.2K
$34.83₱2,147
-25.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.80IQD 7,592
$3.44₱212
68.60%
Cappuccino
$2.31IQD 3,031
$2.94₱181
-21.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36IQD 474
$0.86₱53.2
-58.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.21IQD 280
$0.46₱28.26
-54.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.41IQD 4,468
$1.43₱88.4
138.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88IQD 3,777
$2.60₱161
10.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14IQD 1,491
$2.03₱125
-43.84%
White Bread(500g)
$0.65IQD 854
$1.63₱101
-60.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.59IQD 2,078
$0.99₱61.1
60.61%
Eggs
$1.50IQD 1,958
$1.98₱122
-24.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.59IQD 6,012
$3.60₱222
27.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.89IQD 3,781
$3.11₱192
-7.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.11IQD 14.6K
$6.63₱409
67.57%
Apples(1kg)
$0.99IQD 1,292
$4.05₱250
-75.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06IQD 1,382
$1.22₱75.1
-13.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.04IQD 1,356
$2.00₱123
-48.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.64IQD 836
$0.81₱50.2
-20.99%
Potato(1kg)
$0.50IQD 659
$1.47₱90.4
-65.99%
Onion(1kg)
$0.54IQD 708
$1.40₱86.3
-61.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67IQD 877
$1.04₱64.3
-35.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33IQD 437
$0.83₱51.3
-60.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.89IQD 2,477
$2.91₱180
-35.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.34IQD 17.5K
$5.70₱351
134.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79IQD 2,349
$0.71₱43.61
152.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09IQD 2,736
$1.75₱108
19.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52IQD 686
$0.26₱15.82
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.91IQD 40.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.92IQD 3,823
$0.74₱45.93
294.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.13IQD 1,479
$0.24₱14.84
370.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.42IQD 9,719
$0.85₱52.5
772.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.54IQD 709
$1.17₱71.9
-53.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.2KIQD 26.5M
$28.8K₱1.8M
-29.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0KIQD 26.2M
$17.9K₱1.1M
11.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.9IQD 70.6K
$58.1₱3,580
-7.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.35IQD 30.6K
$21.34₱1,316
9.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.74IQD 50.7K
$25.27₱1,558
53.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.51IQD 19.0K
$12.25₱755
18.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.62IQD 21.8K
$2.59₱160
541.70%
Cinema Ticket
$7.76IQD 10.2K
$6.87₱423
12.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$58.2IQD 76.3K
$151₱9,306
-61.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$774IQD 1.0M
$4,308₱265.7K
-82.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.41IQD 37.2K
$26.79₱1,652
6.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.43IQD 39.8K
$33.73₱2,080
-9.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$23.28IQD 30.5K
$62.6₱3,862
-62.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$14.98IQD 19.6K
$47.62₱2,936
-68.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$74.0IQD 96.9K
$261₱16.1K
-71.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$110IQD 144.3K
$44.20₱2,726
149.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$114IQD 149.8K
$588₱36.2K
-80.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$249IQD 326.0K
$396₱24.4K
-37.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$893IQD 1.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$396IQD 518.8K
$225₱13.9K
75.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kirkuk
Cabanatuan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$625IQD 818.4K
$198₱12.2K
214.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.67
6.17
-8.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kirkuk: June 1, 2026
Last update for Cabanatuan: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $74.0 in Kirkuk versus $261 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 215% higher in Kirkuk, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kirkuk versus $35.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $174 – making Kirkuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Cabanatuan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $594 in Kirkuk, $531 in Cabanatuan – roughly 12% apart. Kirkuk costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Kirkuk compared to Cabanatuan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Kirkuk and $796 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 Cabanatuan, 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 $26.00 in Kirkuk and $35.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Kirkuk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
How far does $1,200 go in Kirkuk vs Cabanatuan?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $594 in Kirkuk and $531 in Cabanatuan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Kirkuk or Cabanatuan?
Families tend to lean toward Cabanatuan – 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 Cabanatuan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kirkuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.