Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirkuk: $545 a month against $958 in Erbil, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Kirkuk
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Kirkuk Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index

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Kirkuk

🇮🇶 Iraq

$545

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$958

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kirkuk and in Erbil

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kirkuk and in Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $545 per month in Kirkuk vs $958 in Erbil, rent included.

Kirkuk $545
Erbil $958

A couple spends around $871 per month in Kirkuk vs $1,427 in Erbil, rent included.

Kirkuk $871
Erbil $1,427

A family of three spends $1,197 per month in Kirkuk vs $1,896 in Erbil, rent included.

Kirkuk $1,197
Erbil $1,896

Kirkuk is about 43% cheaper than Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kirkuk and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Kirkuk 60% lower, Erbil 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 IQD 5,360

$6.42 IQD 9,704

-44.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 IQD 35.1K

$36.55 IQD 55.2K

-36.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 IQD 7,928

$7.41 IQD 11.2K

-29.15%

Cappuccino

$2.35 IQD 3,558

$3.24 IQD 4,889

-27.47%

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

$0.38 IQD 576

$0.89 IQD 1,341

-57.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 283

$0.33 IQD 505

-42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 IQD 4,102

$5.75 IQD 8,681

-52.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 IQD 5,010

$3.92 IQD 5,921

-15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,471

$1.07 IQD 1,611

-9.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 IQD 858

$0.67 IQD 1,019

-14.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 IQD 2,068

$1.52 IQD 2,303

-9.87%

Eggs

$1.27 IQD 1,913

$1.60 IQD 2,413

-20.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.37 IQD 5,090

$7.00 IQD 10.6K

-51.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 IQD 4,871

$4.38 IQD 6,614

-26.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 IQD 16.9K

$12.67 IQD 19.1K

-11.52%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 1,121

$0.94 IQD 1,415

-21.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,196

$1.01 IQD 1,528

-21.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,294

$1.02 IQD 1,544

-15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 964

$0.70 IQD 1,064

-8.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 736

$0.65 IQD 982

-24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 IQD 722

$0.63 IQD 952

-23.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 844

$0.64 IQD 968

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 523

$0.52 IQD 781

-32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,521

$2.19 IQD 3,303

-23.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 IQD 17.6K

$10.83 IQD 16.4K

7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 IQD 1,937

$1.45 IQD 2,191

-11.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 IQD 2,472

$1.79 IQD 2,712

-8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 522

$0.49 IQD 736

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.84 IQD 30.0K

$39.29 IQD 59.4K

-49.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,914

$1.67 IQD 2,519

15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 IQD 1,940

$1.60 IQD 2,418

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 IQD 10.0K

$5.78 IQD 8,728

14.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 IQD 726

$0.57 IQD 867

-15.79%

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

$16.2K IQD 24.5M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

-3.41%

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

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

-4.34%

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

$51.8 IQD 78.3K

$111 IQD 168.1K

-53.40%

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

$19.86 IQD 30.0K

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

62.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.46 IQD 58.1K

$24.61 IQD 37.2K

56.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.62 IQD 14.5K

$57.0 IQD 86.1K

-83.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 IQD 20.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 IQD 14.8K

$9.63 IQD 14.6K

2.08%

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

$147 IQD 222.9K

$294 IQD 443.8K

-49.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 IQD 5.0M

$2,726 IQD 4.1M

21.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.85 IQD 39.1K

$26.71 IQD 40.4K

-3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.19 IQD 24.5K

$38.49 IQD 58.2K

-57.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 IQD 88.8K

$61.1 IQD 92.3K

-3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.49 IQD 44.6K

$59.9 IQD 90.5K

-50.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 IQD 252.8K

$426 IQD 643.6K

-60.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.1 IQD 121.1K

$271 IQD 410.0K

-70.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 IQD 294.5K

$699 IQD 1.1M

-72.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 IQD 298.5K

$404 IQD 610.4K

-51.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$501 IQD 757.5K

$1,017 IQD 1.5M

-50.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$262 IQD 395.8K

$615 IQD 929.8K

-57.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 IQD 584.6K

$519 IQD 783.7K

-25.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

2.53

62.85%

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

Last update for Kirkuk: October 25, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kirkuk

$143 26.2%

Erbil

$174 18.1% 21.7% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kirkuk

$110 20.2%

Erbil

$148 15.5% 34.4% $38

Eating Out

Kirkuk

$95 17.4%

Erbil

$154 16.1% 62.2% $59

Accommodation & Living

Kirkuk

$80 14.7%

Erbil

$271 28.3% 239% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Kirkuk

$59 10.8%

Erbil

$84 8.8% 42.8% $25

Getting Around

Kirkuk

$30 5.4%

Erbil

$51 5.3% 72.2% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Kirkuk

$29 5.4%

Erbil

$76 8% 160% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Kirkuk versus $426 in Erbil. 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 34% higher in Erbil, 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 $23 in Kirkuk versus $37 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $143 vs $174 – making Kirkuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Kirkuk

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

Same time as Kirkuk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

850,787

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Kirkuk Erbil 87 km

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Kirkuk
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $818 per month in Kirkuk and $1,437 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirkuk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $167 there versus $426 in Erbil.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Kirkuk and $37 in Erbil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Kirkuk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.