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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $609 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $960 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,311 in Kirkuk.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 100% more expensive than Kirkuk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kirkuk 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$3.80 IQD 4,974

185.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

71.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$5.76 IQD 7,540

43.75%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.34 IQD 3,064

29.06%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.39 IQD 512

94.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.18 IQD 235

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$3.41 IQD 4,468

-34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.89 IQD 3,782

3.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.14 IQD 1,498

69.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.61 IQD 796

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.67 IQD 2,182

10.18%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.48 IQD 1,941

65.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$4.58 IQD 5,997

62.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$2.85 IQD 3,727

127.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$10.79 IQD 14.1K

-10.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$0.90 IQD 1,180

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.02 IQD 1,334

52.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$0.99 IQD 1,296

80.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$0.64 IQD 843

248.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.49 IQD 643

32.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.50 IQD 651

36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.63 IQD 830

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.31 IQD 401

125.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$1.86 IQD 2,440

58.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

-45.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.76 IQD 2,311

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.11 IQD 2,760

6.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.56 IQD 727

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$31.66 IQD 41.5K

-53.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$2.93 IQD 3,832

-48.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.11 IQD 1,451

-34.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

-2.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$0.53 IQD 697

115.09%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-9.17%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-0.13%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$52.7 IQD 69.0K

40.22%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$23.40 IQD 30.6K

-49.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$38.76 IQD 50.8K

-53.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$14.67 IQD 19.2K

320.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-2.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$7.50 IQD 9,819

-11.87%

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

$264 ₾700

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

349.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$780 IQD 1.0M

559.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$28.28 IQD 37.0K

164.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$30.17 IQD 39.5K

45.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$23.14 IQD 30.3K

408.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$14.72 IQD 19.3K

672.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$73.8 IQD 96.7K

837.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$109 IQD 142.1K

318.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$113 IQD 147.8K

1072.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$252 IQD 329.5K

213.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$866 IQD 1.1M

180.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$398 IQD 520.7K

262.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$631 IQD 826.1K

2.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

5.67

109.70%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $73.8 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 2% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 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

Tbilisi vs Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 2% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $73.8 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $58.8 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $609 in Kirkuk versus $1,218 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 100% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.