Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Baghdad

For one person, living is cheaper in Baghdad: $1,148 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Baghdad
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Baghdad Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Baghdad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,148

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Baghdad

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 Baghdad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,148 in Baghdad.

Austin, TX $2,704
Baghdad $1,148

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,702 in Baghdad.

Austin, TX $4,133
Baghdad $1,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,256 in Baghdad.

Austin, TX $5,562
Baghdad $2,256

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 135% more expensive than in Baghdad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Baghdad is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$4.87 IQD 7,354

315.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$34.91 IQD 52.7K

143.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$7.52 IQD 11.4K

64.23%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.19 IQD 4,827

71.47%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.36 IQD 548

961.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.25 IQD 379

900.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.83 IQD 5,788

110.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$3.90 IQD 5,892

130.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.03 IQD 1,563

9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.85 IQD 1,284

344.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.53 IQD 2,308

112.42%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.92 IQD 2,901

115.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$3.95 IQD 5,965

231.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$4.60 IQD 6,954

211.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$14.07 IQD 21.3K

13.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.14 IQD 1,722

284.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.09 IQD 1,647

33.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.04 IQD 1,567

336.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$0.74 IQD 1,125

466.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.68 IQD 1,034

286.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.64 IQD 970

268.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.66 IQD 1,003

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.68 IQD 1,020

217.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$1.93 IQD 2,922

408.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

8.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.13 IQD 3,219

30.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.18 IQD 3,296

59.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.68 IQD 1,030

119.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$23.19 IQD 35.0K

74.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.25 IQD 3,402

18.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.57 IQD 2,373

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$7.68 IQD 11.6K

359.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.68 IQD 1,030

45.59%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.1K IQD 28.8M

87.69%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

40.13%

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

$219 $219

$218 IQD 330.0K

0.39%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$19.65 IQD 29.7K

195.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$42.88 IQD 64.8K

59.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$47.30 IQD 71.5K

22.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$21.47 IQD 32.4K

-30.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$10.64 IQD 16.1K

32.80%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$168 IQD 253.1K

800.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$3,430 IQD 5.2M

525.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$28.72 IQD 43.4K

79.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$32.11 IQD 48.5K

37.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$68.4 IQD 103.3K

24.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$49.01 IQD 74.1K

114.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$577 IQD 871.8K

234.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$361 IQD 545.2K

252.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$1,008 IQD 1.5M

264.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$669 IQD 1.0M

277.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$4,647 IQD 7.0M

63.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$1,569 IQD 2.4M

103.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$593 IQD 895.6K

761.25%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Baghdad

$361 31.6% 71.6% $912

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Baghdad

$186 16.3% 53.8% $217

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Baghdad

$129 11.3% 62.9% $219

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Baghdad

$281 24.6% 18.7% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Baghdad

$80 7% 37.7% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Baghdad

$69 6% 20.4% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Baghdad

$36 3.2% 36.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $577 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 761% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $35.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $186 per month, with Baghdad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇶 Baghdad

🕒 Local time

00:16 12:16 AM

08:16 8:16 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

7,216,040 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,695 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR).

IQD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Baghdad 11,900 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Baghdad

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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 761% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $577 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,148 in Baghdad – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 75% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,148 in Baghdad versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad 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.

Expats usually find Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.