Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkuk and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirkuk: $547 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kirkuk, Iraq
Lisbon, Portugal
Kirkuk
🇮🇶 Iraq
$547
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kirkuk and in Lisbon

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 Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $547 in Kirkuk versus $2,206 in Lisbon.

  • Kirkuk $547
  • Lisbon $2,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $873 in Kirkuk versus $3,276 in Lisbon.

  • Kirkuk $873
  • Lisbon $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,199 in Kirkuk versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Kirkuk $1,199
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Kirkuk costs roughly 75% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kirkuk is 60% below, Lisbon is 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62 IQD 5,468
$16.86 €15.01
-78.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.17 IQD 35.0K
$61.0 €54.4
-62.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.20 IQD 7,855
$10.98 €9.78
-52.64%
Cappuccino
$2.38 IQD 3,602
$3.05 €2.72
-21.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 IQD 536
$2.28 €2.03
-84.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 IQD 214
$1.68 €1.50
-91.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.66 IQD 4,018
$3.44 €3.06
-22.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 IQD 4,839
$3.91 €3.48
-18.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 IQD 1,463
$1.15 €1.02
-15.65%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 IQD 909
$1.89 €1.68
-68.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 IQD 1,997
$1.50 €1.34
-12.00%
Eggs
$1.32 IQD 1,989
$4.12 €3.66
-67.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.43 IQD 5,178
$13.01 €11.58
-73.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 IQD 4,787
$8.04 €7.16
-60.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.37 IQD 17.2K
$17.89 €15.93
-36.44%
Apples (1kg)
$0.74 IQD 1,121
$2.27 €2.02
-67.40%
Banana (1kg)
$0.79 IQD 1,196
$1.74 €1.55
-54.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.79 IQD 1,195
$1.82 €1.62
-56.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.63 IQD 959
$2.69 €2.39
-76.58%
Potato (1kg)
$0.48 IQD 719
$1.77 €1.57
-72.88%
Onion (1kg)
$0.49 IQD 736
$1.94 €1.72
-74.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 IQD 834
$1.46 €1.30
-62.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 IQD 520
$0.76 €0.68
-55.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.60 IQD 2,417
$6.66 €5.93
-75.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.91 IQD 18.0K
$5.64 €5.02
111.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 IQD 2,023
$1.29 €1.15
3.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 IQD 2,449
$2.14 €1.90
-24.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 IQD 518
$2.30 €2.05
-85.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.81 IQD 29.9K
$44.02 €39.19
-55.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 IQD 2,961
$3.98 €3.55
-50.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 IQD 2,039
$0.64 €0.57
110.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.71 IQD 10.1K
$18.93 €16.85
-64.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.51 IQD 777
$2.28 €2.03
-77.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.7K IQD 25.3M
$33.4K €29.7K
-49.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.5K IQD 24.9M
$38.5K €34.3K
-57.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.8 IQD 79.7K
$158 €141
-66.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.52 IQD 29.5K
$17.54 €15.62
11.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.57 IQD 59.8K
$31.18 €27.77
26.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.88 IQD 14.9K
$44.64 €39.75
-77.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.98 €16.90
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.85 IQD 14.9K
$9.58 €8.53
2.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 IQD 220.6K
$674 €600
-78.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,418 IQD 8.2M
$18.7K €16.7K
-71.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.35 IQD 38.3K
$102 €91.0
-75.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.32 IQD 24.7K
$45.90 €40.87
-64.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$59.0 IQD 89.1K
$102 €91.0
-42.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.64 IQD 44.8K
$122 €109
-75.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$164 IQD 248.1K
$1,641 €1,461
-89.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$78.3 IQD 118.3K
$1,187 €1,057
-93.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$196 IQD 296.5K
$2,825 €2,515
-93.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$195 IQD 294.0K
$2,018 €1,797
-90.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$499 IQD 754.1K
$7,836 €6,977
-93.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$263 IQD 397.8K
$4,701 €4,186
-94.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kirkuk
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$373 IQD 563.6K
$1,687 €1,502
-77.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.12
3.82
7.85%

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

Last update for Kirkuk: November 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kirkuk
$144
Lisbon
$275 90.9% $131
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirkuk
$112
Lisbon
$207 85% $95
Eating Out
Kirkuk
$95
Lisbon
$245 159% $150
Accommodation & Living
Kirkuk
$78
Lisbon
$1.2K 1417% $1.1K
Clothing & Footwear
Kirkuk
$59
Lisbon
$168 186% $109
Getting Around
Kirkuk
$30
Lisbon
$60 102% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Kirkuk
$30
Lisbon
$64 116% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $164 in Kirkuk and $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 4.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Kirkuk vs $61 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $275 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇶 Kirkuk
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
05:45 5:45 AM
02:45 2:45 AM
3 h behind Kirkuk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
850,787
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,696 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kirkuk Lisbon 4,690 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kirkuk
  • Lisbon

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kirkuk cheaper than Lisbon?
Kirkuk is about 75% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kirkuk or Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Kirkuk. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Kirkuk and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $164 in Kirkuk versus $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $146 in Kirkuk versus $674 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Kirkuk and in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Kirkuk or in Lisbon?
At $547 in Kirkuk versus $2,206 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Kirkuk or in Lisbon?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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