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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,195 in Lamia versus $594 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,846 in Lamia versus $956 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,498 in Lamia versus $1,319 in Kirkuk.

Living in Lamia is roughly 101% more expensive than Kirkuk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lamia 11% lower, Kirkuk 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.31 €14.89

$3.93 IQD 5,148

340.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 €50.5

$26.11 IQD 34.2K

124.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 €7.27

$5.80 IQD 7,592

45.69%

Cappuccino

$3.20 €2.75

$2.31 IQD 3,031

38.53%

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

$1.41 €1.21

$0.36 IQD 474

291.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.46

$0.21 IQD 280

152.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 €4.41

$3.41 IQD 4,468

50.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$2.88 IQD 3,777

98.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.14 IQD 1,491

35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 €1.03

$0.65 IQD 854

84.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.59 IQD 2,078

33.96%

Eggs

$3.67 €3.16

$1.50 IQD 1,958

144.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 €8.71

$4.59 IQD 6,012

120.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 €5.34

$2.89 IQD 3,781

114.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 €8.30

$11.11 IQD 14.6K

-13.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$0.99 IQD 1,292

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.06 IQD 1,382

81.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.04 IQD 1,356

62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$0.64 IQD 836

232.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.50 IQD 659

158.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.54 IQD 708

118.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 €0.49

$0.67 IQD 877

-14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.33 IQD 437

142.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 €4.54

$1.89 IQD 2,477

179.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 €6.11

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.79 IQD 2,349

-43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.09 IQD 2,736

11.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 €1.21

$0.52 IQD 686

169.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.94 €40.38

$30.91 IQD 40.5K

51.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.00

$2.92 IQD 3,823

59.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 €11.62

$7.42 IQD 9,719

82.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$0.54 IQD 709

296.30%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

40.89%

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

$28.3K €24.4K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

41.50%

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

$207 €178

$53.9 IQD 70.6K

284.37%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

-1.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.84 €26.53

$38.74 IQD 50.7K

-20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.36 €40.74

$14.51 IQD 19.0K

226.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.25 €22.58

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

57.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 €7.01

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

5.03%

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

$288 €248

$58.2 IQD 76.3K

394.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,846 €5,889

$774 IQD 1.0M

784.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.15 €37.12

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

51.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 €32.07

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 €58.4

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

191.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.7

$14.98 IQD 19.6K

665.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 €421

$74.0 IQD 96.9K

562.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 €199

$110 IQD 144.3K

109.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 €443

$114 IQD 149.8K

349.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 €350

$249 IQD 326.0K

63.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,087 €2,656

$893 IQD 1.2M

245.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,516 €2,164

$396 IQD 518.8K

535.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,186 €1,020

$625 IQD 818.4K

89.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

5.67

-17.46%

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

Last update for Lamia: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Lamia and $74.0 in Kirkuk. 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: $59.0 in Lamia vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $160 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

Lamia vs Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lamia pays 90% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Lamia versus $74.0 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $288 in Lamia versus $58.2 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lamia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $594 in Kirkuk versus $1,195 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, Lamia and Kirkuk 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 101% less than in Lamia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.