Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and 'aqrah

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $522 a month against $661 in 'aqrah, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Delhi
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Delhi Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index

Jump to prices

Delhi

🇮🇳 India

$522

/mo nomad

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in 'aqrah

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $522 in Delhi versus $661 in 'aqrah.

Delhi $522
'aqrah $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $872 in Delhi versus $1,015 in 'aqrah.

Delhi $872
'aqrah $1,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,222 in Delhi versus $1,369 in 'aqrah.

Delhi $1,222
'aqrah $1,369

Living in Delhi costs roughly 21% less than in 'aqrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Delhi 61% lower, 'aqrah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 ₹351

$3.62 IQD 5,467

2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 ₹1,998

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 ₹354

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

-45.31%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹223

$2.38 IQD 3,602

-1.26%

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

$0.37 ₹35.21

$0.32 IQD 485

15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹13.93

$0.18 IQD 273

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₹203

$3.11 IQD 4,706

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₹291

$2.61 IQD 3,945

17.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.0

$0.94 IQD 1,416

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.0

$0.72 IQD 1,086

-26.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$1.46 IQD 2,205

-47.26%

Eggs

$1.11 ₹105

$1.70 IQD 2,573

-34.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 ₹440

$3.48 IQD 5,252

33.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ₹334

$4.16 IQD 6,291

-15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$0.92 IQD 1,383

117.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.5

$0.91 IQD 1,375

-18.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹92.6

$0.77 IQD 1,161

25.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.92

$0.66 IQD 990

-19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.61

$0.54 IQD 809

-44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹37.81

$0.64 IQD 965

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹39.62

$0.51 IQD 776

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.80

$0.50 IQD 756

-38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 ₹469

$1.57 IQD 2,368

214.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 ₹779

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

-24.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₹150

$1.33 IQD 2,003

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₹255

$1.85 IQD 2,800

45.41%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.19 ₹588

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₹43.46

$0.45 IQD 679

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.78 ₹1,498

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

-9.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ₹102

$1.89 IQD 2,859

-43.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.66

$1.39 IQD 2,099

-80.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ₹150

$5.15 IQD 7,788

-69.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹101

$0.48 IQD 727

122.92%

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

$10.7K ₹1.0M

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

-36.89%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

-2.32%

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

$42.37 ₹4,023

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

-47.14%

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

$4.03 ₹383

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

-70.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.95 ₹660

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

-74.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 ₹1,821

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

-48.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.92 ₹752

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 ₹500

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

-37.19%

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

$100 ₹9,524

$142 IQD 213.9K

-29.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,247 ₹213.3K

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

-15.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.11 ₹2,290

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 ₹2,645

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 ₹4,976

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.90 ₹4,073

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₹25.4K

$184 IQD 277.8K

45.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₹14.8K

$141 IQD 213.2K

10.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₹69.7K

$358 IQD 541.4K

104.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₹37.5K

$278 IQD 419.4K

42.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,507 ₹238.0K

$779 IQD 1.2M

221.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 ₹96.8K

$642 IQD 970.8K

58.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ₹57.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

3.33

150.15%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 12, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Delhi

$156 29.9%

'aqrah

$141 21.4% 9.5% $15

Groceries & Markets

Delhi

$109 20.9%

'aqrah

$160 24.2% 46.8% $51

Eating Out

Delhi

$88 16.8%

'aqrah

$101 15.3% 14.7% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Delhi

$66 12.7%

'aqrah

$56 8.5% 15.6% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Delhi

$53 10.2%

'aqrah

$121 18.3% 127% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Delhi

$30 5.7%

'aqrah

$54 8.1% 81.1% $24

Getting Around

Delhi

$20 3.8%

'aqrah

$28 4.3% 40.4% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Delhi and $184 in 'aqrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Delhi vs $22.00 in 'aqrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $109 vs $160 per month, with Delhi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Delhi

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🕒 Local time

10:06 10:06 AM

07:36 7:36 AM

2 h 30 min behind Delhi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,787,941 Capital

68,100

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.35 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.35 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Delhi 'aqrah 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Delhi
'aqrah

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

Delhi vs 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Delhi wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in 'aqrah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Delhi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $783 in Delhi and $991 in 'aqrah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $267 in Delhi versus $184 in 'aqrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $522 per month in Delhi versus $661 in 'aqrah – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Delhi runs roughly 11% less than in 'aqrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Delhi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Delhi and 'aqrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Delhi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in 'aqrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.