Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and An Najaf

For one person, living is cheaper in An Najaf: $586 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in An Najaf
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An Najaf Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

An Najaf

🇮🇶 Iraq

$586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in An Najaf

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

A single person spends $2,663 per month in Austin, TX vs $586 in An Najaf, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,663
An Najaf $586

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Austin, TX vs $888 in An Najaf, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,133
An Najaf $888

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Austin, TX vs $1,190 in An Najaf, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,603
An Najaf $1,190

Austin, TX costs about 355% more than An Najaf, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Austin, TX sits 97% above the global median, while An Najaf is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$4.06 IQD 6,132

411.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$19.68 IQD 29.7K

329.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.25 IQD 6,429

189.88%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.29 IQD 3,455

145.85%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.33 IQD 494

1027.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.20 IQD 302

1150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.22 IQD 4,872

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$1.98 IQD 2,989

355.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.90 IQD 1,363

24.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.68 IQD 1,022

451.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.31 IQD 1,981

148.85%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.48 IQD 2,240

181.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$3.41 IQD 5,154

278.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$4.07 IQD 6,157

247.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.27 IQD 14.0K

74.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.01 IQD 1,530

328.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.96 IQD 1,445

52.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$0.88 IQD 1,333

412.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$0.63 IQD 950

588.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.58 IQD 880

344.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.56 IQD 841

319.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.58 IQD 875

206.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.49 IQD 742

353.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$1.70 IQD 2,564

481.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$11.66 IQD 17.6K

29.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.92 IQD 2,907

52.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.93 IQD 2,923

79.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.33 IQD 492

351.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$18.92 IQD 28.6K

120.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.34 IQD 2,022

103.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.29 IQD 1,942

28.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$5.36 IQD 8,095

558.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.39 IQD 584

143.59%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$12.0K IQD 18.1M

200.66%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

61.80%

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

$229 $229

$34.90 IQD 52.7K

556.13%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$14.79 IQD 22.3K

301.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$32.93 IQD 49.8K

112.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$25.24 IQD 38.1K

126.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$8.38 IQD 12.7K

70.41%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$147 IQD 222.3K

923.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$799 IQD 1.2M

2585.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$14.90 IQD 22.5K

254.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$23.76 IQD 35.9K

84.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$60.5 IQD 91.5K

40.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$41.72 IQD 63.0K

146.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$235 IQD 354.8K

712.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$124 IQD 187.9K

924.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$319 IQD 481.5K

1050.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$194 IQD 292.4K

1211.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$1,118 IQD 1.7M

581.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$455 IQD 687.3K

594.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$659 IQD 996.4K

676.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

4.12

64.81%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

An Najaf

$124 21.2% 90.2% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

An Najaf

$151 25.7% 62.8% $254

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

An Najaf

$83 14.1% 76.9% $276

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

An Najaf

$95 16.2% 73.2% $259

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

An Najaf

$63 10.8% 50.5% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

An Najaf

$42 7.2% 51% $44

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

An Najaf

$28 4.8% 52.3% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $235 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 677% higher in Austin, TX, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Austin, TX versus $20.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $151 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇶 An Najaf

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

23:49 11:49 PM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,221,248

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

IQD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX An Najaf 12,020 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
An Najaf

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

Austin, TX vs An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX costs about 355% more than An Najaf, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,995 per month in Austin, TX and $879 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,663 in Austin, TX and $586 in An Najaf. That's a gap of about 355%.

Public transport costs about 121% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $586, than in Austin, TX at $2,663. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.