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: $630 in Kirkuk versus $1,226 in Lamia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $994 in Kirkuk versus $1,942 in Lamia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,357 in Kirkuk versus $2,657 in Lamia.

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 49% less than in Lamia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kirkuk 54% lower, Lamia 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 IQD 5,454

$17.52 €15.12

-76.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.97 IQD 35.3K

$57.1 €49.30

-52.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 IQD 7,798

$8.66 €7.47

-31.29%

Cappuccino

$2.36 IQD 3,094

$3.30 €2.84

-28.48%

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

$0.39 IQD 516

$1.49 €1.29

-73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 IQD 328

$0.53 €0.46

-52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 IQD 5,126

$5.22 €4.50

-25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 IQD 4,987

$6.51 €5.61

-41.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 IQD 1,407

$1.73 €1.49

-38.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 850

$1.19 €1.02

-45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,003

$2.17 €1.87

-29.49%

Eggs

$1.46 IQD 1,911

$3.73 €3.22

-60.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.94 IQD 5,156

$10.13 €8.74

-61.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 IQD 4,783

$6.54 €5.64

-44.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 IQD 16.7K

$9.86 €8.51

29.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,065

$1.98 €1.71

-59.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,258

$2.31 €1.99

-58.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,270

$1.97 €1.70

-50.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$2.23 €1.92

-70.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 766

$1.19 €1.03

-51.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 705

$1.18 €1.02

-54.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.56 €0.48

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 IQD 415

$0.96 €0.83

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$5.27 €4.55

-66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$7.23 €6.24

87.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,963

$0.97 €0.84

54.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,453

$2.39 €2.06

-21.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$1.40 €1.21

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

$49.77 €42.95

-53.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,020

$4.01 €3.46

-42.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$1.07 €0.93

41.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 IQD 9,975

$17.48 €15.09

-56.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$2.15 €1.85

-75.35%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$28.7K €24.8K

-33.41%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$28.3K €24.4K

-33.17%

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

$55.4 IQD 72.5K

$201 €173

-72.44%

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

$21.76 IQD 28.5K

$22.82 €19.69

-4.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$31.37 €27.07

33.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.31 IQD 14.8K

$56.0 €48.28

-79.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.89 €22.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 IQD 14.3K

$7.89 €6.81

38.66%

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

$168 IQD 219.4K

$295 €254

-43.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,477 IQD 4.6M

$6,901 €5,955

-49.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.13 IQD 39.5K

$43.32 €37.38

-30.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 IQD 25.2K

$45.51 €39.27

-57.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 IQD 96.0K

$68.5 €59.1

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.00 IQD 45.8K

$135 €116

-74.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 IQD 254.9K

$507 €437

-61.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.1 IQD 119.3K

$231 €200

-60.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 IQD 305.7K

$527 €455

-55.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 IQD 302.2K

$403 €348

-42.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$581 IQD 761.1K

$2,934 €2,531

-80.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$302 IQD 395.4K

$2,415 €2,084

-87.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 IQD 583.1K

$1,194 €1,030

-62.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.4

-23.70%

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

Last update for Kirkuk: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lamia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Kirkuk and $507 in Lamia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lamia pays 168% 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: $27.00 in Kirkuk vs $57.0 in Lamia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $232 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 168% 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: $195 in Kirkuk versus $507 in Lamia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $168 in Kirkuk versus $295 in Lamia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Lamia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $630 in Kirkuk versus $1,226 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 95% less than in Lamia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.