Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kirkuk

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.

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

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Kirkuk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Kirkuk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Kirkuk $547

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

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Kirkuk $873

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

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Kirkuk $1,199

Living in Lisbon is roughly 303% more expensive than in Kirkuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.01
$3.62 IQD 5,468
365.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.4
$23.17 IQD 35.0K
163.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.78
$5.20 IQD 7,855
111.15%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.72
$2.38 IQD 3,602
28.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.35 IQD 536
551.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.14 IQD 214
1100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.06
$2.66 IQD 4,018
29.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.48
$3.20 IQD 4,839
22.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$0.97 IQD 1,463
18.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$0.60 IQD 909
215.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.32 IQD 1,997
13.64%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$1.32 IQD 1,989
212.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.58
$3.43 IQD 5,178
279.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.16
$3.17 IQD 4,787
153.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.93
$11.37 IQD 17.2K
57.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.74 IQD 1,121
206.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.79 IQD 1,196
120.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$0.79 IQD 1,195
130.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$0.63 IQD 959
326.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$0.48 IQD 719
268.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$0.49 IQD 736
295.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$0.55 IQD 834
165.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.34 IQD 520
123.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.93
$1.60 IQD 2,417
316.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.02
$11.91 IQD 18.0K
-52.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.34 IQD 2,023
-3.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.62 IQD 2,449
32.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.05
$0.34 IQD 518
576.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.19
$19.81 IQD 29.9K
122.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.55
$1.96 IQD 2,961
103.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$1.35 IQD 2,039
-52.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.85
$6.71 IQD 10.1K
182.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.51 IQD 777
347.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$16.7K IQD 25.3M
99.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$16.5K IQD 24.9M
134.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$52.8 IQD 79.7K
199.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.62
$19.52 IQD 29.5K
-10.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.77
$39.57 IQD 59.8K
-21.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.75
$9.88 IQD 14.9K
351.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.90
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.53
$9.85 IQD 14.9K
-2.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €600
$146 IQD 220.6K
361.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$5,418 IQD 8.2M
245.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.0
$25.35 IQD 38.3K
303.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.87
$16.32 IQD 24.7K
181.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.0
$59.0 IQD 89.1K
73.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$29.64 IQD 44.8K
311.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,461
$164 IQD 248.1K
899.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,057
$78.3 IQD 118.3K
1416.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,515
$196 IQD 296.5K
1339.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,797
$195 IQD 294.0K
937.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,977
$499 IQD 754.1K
1470.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,186
$263 IQD 397.8K
1685.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Kirkuk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,502
$373 IQD 563.6K
352.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
4.12
-7.28%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Kirkuk
$78 93.4% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Kirkuk
$144 47.6% $131
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Kirkuk
$95 61.3% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Kirkuk
$112 45.9% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Kirkuk
$59 65% $109
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Kirkuk
$30 53.6% $34
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Kirkuk
$30 50.5% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $164 in Kirkuk. 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: $61 in Lisbon vs $23 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $144 per month, with Kirkuk cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇶 Kirkuk
🕒 Local time
02:53 2:53 AM
05:53 5:53 AM
3 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
850,787
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

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).

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

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
Lisbon vs Kirkuk: 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: Lisbon or Kirkuk?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 4.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Kirkuk?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $164 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $146 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Kirkuk?
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 Lisbon or in Kirkuk?
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 Lisbon or in Kirkuk?
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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