Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kirkuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kirkuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $633 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Tbilisi versus $1,003 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,787 in Tbilisi versus $1,372 in Kirkuk.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 102% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Kirkuk 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 ₾30.42

$4.24 IQD 5,549

175.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₾98.4

$26.63 IQD 34.9K

41.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 ₾24.31

$6.13 IQD 8,030

52.37%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₾9.00

$2.36 IQD 3,090

46.19%

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

$1.09 ₾2.84

$0.39 IQD 514

179.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₾1.55

$0.23 IQD 299

156.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ₾7.35

$3.71 IQD 4,864

-23.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₾9.71

$3.76 IQD 4,924

-0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₾5.71

$1.06 IQD 1,387

106.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.69 IQD 899

7.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.29

$1.52 IQD 1,994

8.55%

Eggs

$2.76 ₾7.20

$1.46 IQD 1,914

89.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₾25.09

$3.79 IQD 4,963

154.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 ₾17.94

$3.58 IQD 4,682

92.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ₾34.23

$13.17 IQD 17.2K

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.46

$0.87 IQD 1,136

96.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₾4.49

$0.99 IQD 1,301

73.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.87

$0.88 IQD 1,153

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₾6.49

$0.65 IQD 846

283.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₾2.11

$0.54 IQD 711

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.54 IQD 712

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.62 IQD 806

122.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₾1.94

$0.32 IQD 415

134.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.75

$1.95 IQD 2,559

72.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₾20.34

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

-42.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₾4.34

$1.57 IQD 2,052

6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₾6.10

$1.92 IQD 2,514

21.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.39 IQD 516

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.56 ₾40.52

$22.90 IQD 30.0K

-32.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.97

$2.34 IQD 3,069

-51.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.03

$1.54 IQD 2,018

-49.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 ₾29.97

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$0.54 IQD 705

146.30%

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

$24.8K ₾64.7K

$19.4K IQD 25.3M

28.39%

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

$22.2K ₾57.8K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

14.02%

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

$90.3 ₾235

$55.5 IQD 72.6K

62.86%

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

$13.19 ₾34.35

$20.76 IQD 27.2K

-36.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 ₾51.4

$42.77 IQD 56.0K

-53.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₾173

$11.52 IQD 15.1K

475.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 ₾51.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾17.53

$10.53 IQD 13.8K

-36.09%

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

$356 ₾928

$169 IQD 221.0K

111.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₾27.6K

$3,527 IQD 4.6M

200.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

211.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 ₾103

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

111.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

50.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₾314

$34.20 IQD 44.8K

252.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,830

$192 IQD 251.8K

265.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,173

$90.7 IQD 118.7K

397.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₾3,321

$230 IQD 301.1K

454.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₾2,320

$232 IQD 304.2K

283.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,587

$570 IQD 745.9K

344.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 ₾3,818

$301 IQD 394.5K

386.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 ₾1,696

$432 IQD 565.7K

50.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

4.12

208.98%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 16, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $703 in Tbilisi and $192 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 51% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $27.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $163 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

Tbilisi vs Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $703 in Tbilisi versus $192 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $356 in Tbilisi versus $169 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $633 in Kirkuk versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kirkuk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi 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 102% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.