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

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

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

Living in Lamia is roughly 95% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 €15.12

$4.16 IQD 5,454

321.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 €49.30

$26.97 IQD 35.3K

111.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 €7.47

$5.95 IQD 7,798

45.55%

Cappuccino

$3.30 €2.84

$2.36 IQD 3,094

39.83%

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

$1.49 €1.29

$0.39 IQD 516

282.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.46

$0.25 IQD 328

112.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 €4.50

$3.91 IQD 5,126

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 €5.61

$3.81 IQD 4,987

70.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.07 IQD 1,407

61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.65 IQD 850

83.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.53 IQD 2,003

41.83%

Eggs

$3.73 €3.22

$1.46 IQD 1,911

155.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 €8.74

$3.94 IQD 5,156

157.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 €5.64

$3.65 IQD 4,783

79.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 €8.51

$12.74 IQD 16.7K

-22.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.81 IQD 1,065

144.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.96 IQD 1,258

140.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.97 IQD 1,270

103.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$0.65 IQD 850

243.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.58 IQD 766

105.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.54 IQD 705

118.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.58 IQD 764

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.83

$0.32 IQD 415

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 €4.55

$1.79 IQD 2,338

194.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 €6.24

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

-46.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.50 IQD 1,963

-35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.06

$1.87 IQD 2,453

27.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 €1.21

$0.40 IQD 520

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.77 €42.95

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

116.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 €3.46

$2.31 IQD 3,020

73.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.51 IQD 1,982

-29.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.48 €15.09

$7.62 IQD 9,975

129.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$0.53 IQD 700

305.66%

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

$28.7K €24.8K

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

50.18%

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

$28.3K €24.4K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

49.63%

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

$201 €173

$55.4 IQD 72.5K

262.91%

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

$22.82 €19.69

$21.76 IQD 28.5K

4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.37 €27.07

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-25.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 €48.28

$11.31 IQD 14.8K

394.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.89 €22.34

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 €6.81

$10.94 IQD 14.3K

-27.88%

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

$295 €254

$168 IQD 219.4K

75.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 €5,955

$3,477 IQD 4.6M

98.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.32 €37.38

$30.13 IQD 39.5K

43.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.51 €39.27

$19.22 IQD 25.2K

136.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 €59.1

$73.3 IQD 96.0K

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$35.00 IQD 45.8K

285.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 €437

$195 IQD 254.9K

160.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 €200

$91.1 IQD 119.3K

154.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 €455

$233 IQD 305.7K

125.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 €348

$231 IQD 302.2K

74.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,934 €2,531

$581 IQD 761.1K

404.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,415 €2,084

$302 IQD 395.4K

699.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,194 €1,030

$445 IQD 583.1K

168.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

4.12

31.07%

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

Last update for Lamia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Lamia and $195 in Kirkuk. 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: $57.0 in Lamia vs $27.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $162 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 168% higher in Lamia, 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: $507 in Lamia versus $195 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $295 in Lamia versus $168 in Kirkuk. 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, 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 95% less than in Lamia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.