Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Iraq Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Iraq

Name: Iraq
Address: IQ

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Australia vs $561 in Iraq, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,678 per month in Australia vs $864 in Iraq, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,808 per month in Australia vs $1,166 in Iraq, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 354% higher than in Iraq on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 85% above the global median, while Iraq is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.74 A$24.73

$4.51 IQD 5,902

293.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 A$121

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

281.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 A$15.82

$7.44 IQD 9,743

52.55%

Cappuccino

$3.99 A$5.57

$2.75 IQD 3,597

45.09%

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

$2.97 A$4.14

$0.42 IQD 551

607.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 A$3.50

$0.24 IQD 315

945.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.75 A$10.80

$3.84 IQD 5,028

101.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 A$11.25

$3.86 IQD 5,060

109.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.46

$1.14 IQD 1,497

54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 A$4.00

$0.85 IQD 1,112

237.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 A$3.31

$1.52 IQD 1,987

55.92%

Eggs

$5.11 A$7.13

$1.73 IQD 2,271

195.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 A$14.13

$4.85 IQD 6,352

108.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 A$13.35

$4.26 IQD 5,573

124.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 A$21.74

$12.93 IQD 16.9K

20.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 A$5.34

$1.05 IQD 1,373

264.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$1.13 IQD 1,480

176.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 A$4.67

$0.96 IQD 1,263

248.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.80

$0.67 IQD 871

628.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.07

$0.68 IQD 886

329.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.29

$0.61 IQD 792

286.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.43

$0.67 IQD 880

267.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 A$2.38

$0.51 IQD 666

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.46 A$55.0

$1.87 IQD 2,450

2010.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 A$20.48

$11.95 IQD 15.7K

22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.07

$1.98 IQD 2,594

156.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 A$7.48

$2.11 IQD 2,769

154.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 A$3.96

$0.39 IQD 511

628.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 A$136

$26.00 IQD 34.0K

274.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$4.96

$2.26 IQD 2,955

57.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 A$2.34

$1.66 IQD 2,175

1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.94 A$57.1

$5.97 IQD 7,817

585.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$0.66 IQD 860

104.55%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$16.9K IQD 22.2M

71.52%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

54.27%

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

$207 A$289

$113 IQD 148.2K

83.30%

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

$29.34 A$40.91

$15.84 IQD 20.7K

85.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 A$83.7

$33.79 IQD 44.2K

77.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 A$82.6

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

65.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 A$28.27

$18.36 IQD 24.0K

10.46%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 A$22.36

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

106.17%

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

$2,194 A$3,059

$171 IQD 224.2K

1181.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K A$26.0K

$2,756 IQD 3.6M

575.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 A$113

$21.41 IQD 28.0K

278.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 A$79.3

$27.13 IQD 35.5K

109.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 A$165

$59.7 IQD 78.1K

98.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 A$176

$44.36 IQD 58.1K

184.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 A$2,282

$308 IQD 403.0K

431.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 A$1,821

$210 IQD 275.6K

520.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 A$3,609

$551 IQD 722.0K

369.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 A$2,737

$400 IQD 524.4K

390.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,394 A$11.7K

$1,557 IQD 2.0M

439.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,140 A$8,560

$789 IQD 1.0M

678.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,067 A$5,670

$582 IQD 762.0K

598.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

6.32

-6.17%

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

Last update for Australia: September 6, 2026

Last update for Iraq: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,426 in Australia vs $133 in Iraq. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,845 in Canberra and $566 in Baghdad.

Average salary: $3,945 in Australia vs $551 in Iraq. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 972% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 325% more in Australia.

Public transport is 627% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 616% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Australia vs Iraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iraq is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 307% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Iraq, contributing to the overall 307% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Iraq, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Iraq is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.