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 $2,181 per month in Australia vs $760 in Iraq, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,218 per month in Australia vs $1,167 in Iraq, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $1,574 in Iraq, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 187% higher than in Iraq on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 64% above the global median, while Iraq is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,595–$2,799) than in Iraq ($521–$1,055), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.93

$4.70 IQD 6,157

239.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$113

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

240.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 A$13.91

$6.49 IQD 8,494

49.15%

Cappuccino

$3.58 A$5.15

$2.25 IQD 2,950

59.11%

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

$2.56 A$3.68

$0.39 IQD 506

556.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.19

$0.22 IQD 282

909.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 A$9.10

$2.26 IQD 2,956

180.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 A$9.98

$2.62 IQD 3,431

165.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.25

$1.28 IQD 1,675

21.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.63

$0.82 IQD 1,072

208.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.87

$1.56 IQD 2,045

28.21%

Eggs

$4.26 A$6.12

$1.73 IQD 2,268

146.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 A$12.57

$4.89 IQD 6,402

78.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.83

$4.15 IQD 5,429

98.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 A$20.33

$12.49 IQD 16.4K

13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.69

$1.03 IQD 1,345

216.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.04

$1.18 IQD 1,541

138.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.31

$1.01 IQD 1,322

197.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.19

$0.68 IQD 896

533.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.67

$0.66 IQD 858

286.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 A$3.10

$0.65 IQD 853

232.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.19

$0.62 IQD 810

258.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.20

$0.55 IQD 721

178.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.28 A$44.93

$1.93 IQD 2,531

1520.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$20.24

$12.15 IQD 15.9K

15.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.44 A$6.38

$1.78 IQD 2,328

149.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 A$7.05

$2.21 IQD 2,890

121.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.24

$0.36 IQD 477

719.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.9 A$138

$32.91 IQD 43.1K

191.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$5.01

$2.23 IQD 2,923

56.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.64

$1.71 IQD 2,244

7.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.26 A$53.5

$5.99 IQD 7,841

522.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.68

$0.59 IQD 774

98.31%

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

$28.7K A$41.3K

$18.2K IQD 23.8M

58.21%

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

$22.5K A$32.3K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

11.51%

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

$173 A$249

$98.1 IQD 128.4K

76.81%

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

$26.62 A$38.23

$19.26 IQD 25.2K

38.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 A$76.2

$31.85 IQD 41.7K

66.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.82 A$67.3

$34.85 IQD 45.6K

34.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 A$23.53

$14.57 IQD 19.1K

12.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 A$19.48

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

74.97%

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

$1,571 A$2,256

$133 IQD 174.4K

1079.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K A$18.1K

$2,672 IQD 3.5M

371.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 A$104

$22.72 IQD 29.8K

217.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 A$74.1

$25.90 IQD 33.9K

99.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$145

$56.9 IQD 74.5K

77.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$155

$39.49 IQD 51.7K

173.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 A$2,008

$303 IQD 397.0K

361.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 A$1,560

$198 IQD 259.8K

447.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 A$3,263

$549 IQD 718.8K

313.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 A$2,515

$378 IQD 494.8K

363.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,955 A$11.4K

$1,559 IQD 2.0M

410.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,978 A$8,587

$789 IQD 1.0M

658.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,053 A$5,822

$562 IQD 736.3K

620.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

8.23

-22.84%

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

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Last update for Iraq: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,230 in Australia vs $254 in Iraq. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,557 in Canberra and $554 in Baghdad.

Average salary: $3,808 in Australia vs $562 in Iraq. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 384% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 221% more in Australia.

Public transport is 109% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 578% 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 179% 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 179% 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.