Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Iraq Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Iraq

Name: Iraq
Address: IQ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $762 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,166 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $1,570 in Iraq.

Living in China costs about 7% less than in Iraq on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Iraq 43% lower.

China ($525–$1,220) and Iraq ($535–$1,074) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$4.67 IQD 6,114

-41.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$6.22 IQD 8,146

-20.26%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$2.34 IQD 3,059

33.33%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.39 IQD 505

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.19 IQD 247

42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$2.22 IQD 2,904

-55.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$2.62 IQD 3,430

-17.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$1.23 IQD 1,614

48.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$0.82 IQD 1,073

104.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$1.55 IQD 2,024

-41.29%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$1.80 IQD 2,360

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$5.15 IQD 6,741

151.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$4.13 IQD 5,415

-21.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

-13.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$1.06 IQD 1,391

70.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$1.17 IQD 1,527

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$1.00 IQD 1,306

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$0.69 IQD 909

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$0.61 IQD 803

24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$0.65 IQD 855

36.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$0.65 IQD 850

-10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$0.55 IQD 722

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$1.91 IQD 2,501

83.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$12.06 IQD 15.8K

-4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$1.77 IQD 2,324

-55.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$2.26 IQD 2,961

-28.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.39 IQD 512

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$33.19 IQD 43.5K

-36.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$2.31 IQD 3,026

-41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$1.75 IQD 2,292

-79.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$6.16 IQD 8,063

7.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$0.59 IQD 774

91.53%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

7.73%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

-15.21%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$99.9 IQD 130.8K

-49.01%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$19.71 IQD 25.8K

-49.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$32.89 IQD 43.1K

-65.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$34.48 IQD 45.2K

16.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$14.75 IQD 19.3K

1.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$7.48 IQD 9,802

-18.58%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$134 IQD 175.3K

212.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$2,613 IQD 3.4M

560.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$22.02 IQD 28.8K

110.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$26.23 IQD 34.4K

25.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$40.28 IQD 52.8K

80.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$300 IQD 392.5K

46.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$194 IQD 253.8K

33.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$557 IQD 729.3K

66.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$376 IQD 492.5K

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$1,528 IQD 2.0M

230.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$757 IQD 991.4K

252.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$563 IQD 737.2K

90.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

8.23

-50.67%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Iraq: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $254 in Iraq. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $557 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $557 in Iraq. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 13% higher in China.

Dining out costs 14% more in Iraq.

Public transport is 83% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 50% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Iraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $805 in Iraq, there's a 8% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Iraq is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China beats Iraq across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Iraq, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Iraq wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.