Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Lamia Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Lamia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $594 in Kirkuk versus $1,205 in Lamia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Kirkuk versus $1,861 in Lamia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,310 in Kirkuk versus $2,516 in Lamia.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 51% less than in Lamia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 56% lower, Lamia 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,977

$17.21 €15.03

-77.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$58.9 €51.5

-56.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 IQD 7,611

$8.75 €7.65

-33.60%

Cappuccino

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$3.25 €2.84

-30.46%

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

$0.39 IQD 511

$1.48 €1.29

-73.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 263

$0.54 €0.47

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 IQD 4,632

$5.18 €4.53

-31.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 IQD 3,738

$5.78 €5.05

-50.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.54 €1.34

-23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 IQD 789

$1.20 €1.04

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$2.07 €1.81

-20.29%

Eggs

$1.43 IQD 1,868

$3.60 €3.15

-60.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,944

$9.61 €8.40

-52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 IQD 3,819

$6.27 €5.48

-53.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 IQD 14.1K

$9.79 €8.56

9.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,199

$2.05 €1.79

-55.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,329

$1.86 €1.63

-45.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,336

$1.64 €1.43

-37.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 793

$2.22 €1.94

-72.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 608

$1.26 €1.10

-63.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 664

$1.19 €1.04

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.61 €0.53

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 IQD 403

$0.87 €0.76

-64.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,565

$5.10 €4.46

-61.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$6.87 €6.00

94.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,304

$0.99 €0.87

77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,845

$2.37 €2.07

-8.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 IQD 688

$1.43 €1.25

-62.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

$45.46 €39.71

-32.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 IQD 4,020

$4.57 €3.99

-32.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 IQD 1,454

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$13.53 €11.82

-42.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 IQD 664

$2.12 €1.85

-75.94%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$28.7K €25.1K

-30.90%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$28.0K €24.4K

-29.64%

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

$53.7 IQD 70.3K

$202 €177

-73.45%

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

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$22.78 €19.90

-0.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

$30.98 €27.07

23.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.94 IQD 19.6K

$47.43 €41.44

-68.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

$25.91 €22.64

-35.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 IQD 9,925

$8.24 €7.20

-8.01%

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

$57.7 IQD 75.5K

$293 €256

-80.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$772 IQD 1.0M

$6,819 €5,958

-88.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.98 IQD 36.6K

$42.24 €36.91

-33.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.00 IQD 40.6K

$36.80 €32.15

-15.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.78 IQD 29.8K

$70.0 €61.2

-67.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.94 IQD 19.6K

$118 €103

-87.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 IQD 97.9K

$498 €435

-84.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 IQD 141.8K

$232 €203

-53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 148.2K

$528 €461

-78.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 IQD 330.9K

$406 €355

-37.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$878 IQD 1.1M

$2,829 €2,472

-68.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$397 IQD 519.6K

$2,333 €2,038

-82.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 IQD 806.8K

$1,168 €1,021

-47.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

4.68

21.15%

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

Last update for Kirkuk: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lamia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.7 in Kirkuk and $498 in Lamia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lamia pays 90% 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 $59.0 in Lamia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $221 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

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 Lamia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Lamia. 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: $74.7 in Kirkuk versus $498 in Lamia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.7 in Kirkuk versus $293 in Lamia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Lamia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $594 in Kirkuk versus $1,205 in Lamia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Lamia. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Kirkuk and Lamia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Lamia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.