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: $1,205 in Lamia versus $594 in Kirkuk.

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

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

Living in Lamia is roughly 103% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 €15.03

$3.80 IQD 4,977

352.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 €51.5

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

129.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 €7.65

$5.81 IQD 7,611

50.60%

Cappuccino

$3.25 €2.84

$2.26 IQD 2,957

43.81%

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

$1.48 €1.29

$0.39 IQD 511

279.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 €0.47

$0.20 IQD 263

170.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 €4.53

$3.54 IQD 4,632

46.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €5.05

$2.85 IQD 3,738

102.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.18 IQD 1,551

30.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 €1.04

$0.60 IQD 789

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.65 IQD 2,156

25.45%

Eggs

$3.60 €3.15

$1.43 IQD 1,868

151.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 €8.40

$4.54 IQD 5,944

111.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 €5.48

$2.92 IQD 3,819

114.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 €8.56

$10.75 IQD 14.1K

-8.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 €1.79

$0.92 IQD 1,199

122.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.02 IQD 1,329

82.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.02 IQD 1,336

60.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$0.61 IQD 793

263.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 €1.10

$0.46 IQD 608

173.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.51 IQD 664

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 €0.53

$0.67 IQD 878

-8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.76

$0.31 IQD 403

180.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 €4.46

$1.96 IQD 2,565

160.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 €6.00

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

-48.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.87

$1.76 IQD 2,304

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.17 IQD 2,845

9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 €1.25

$0.53 IQD 688

169.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.46 €39.71

$30.90 IQD 40.5K

47.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 €3.99

$3.07 IQD 4,020

48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 IQD 1,454

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 €11.82

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

72.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.51 IQD 664

315.69%

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

$28.7K €25.1K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

44.72%

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

$28.0K €24.4K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

42.12%

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

$202 €177

$53.7 IQD 70.3K

276.66%

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

$22.78 €19.90

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

0.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.98 €27.07

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

-19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.43 €41.44

$14.94 IQD 19.6K

217.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.91 €22.64

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

55.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 €7.20

$7.58 IQD 9,925

8.71%

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

$293 €256

$57.7 IQD 75.5K

408.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,819 €5,958

$772 IQD 1.0M

782.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.24 €36.91

$27.98 IQD 36.6K

50.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.80 €32.15

$31.00 IQD 40.6K

18.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 €61.2

$22.78 IQD 29.8K

207.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$14.94 IQD 19.6K

688.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 €435

$74.7 IQD 97.9K

565.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 €203

$108 IQD 141.8K

114.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 €461

$113 IQD 148.2K

366.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 €355

$253 IQD 330.9K

60.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 €2,472

$878 IQD 1.1M

222.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,333 €2,038

$397 IQD 519.6K

487.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 €1,021

$616 IQD 806.8K

89.64%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Lamia and $74.7 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 $221 vs $157 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 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 90% 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: $498 in Lamia versus $74.7 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $293 in Lamia versus $57.7 in Kirkuk. 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, 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 103% less than in Lamia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.