Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Iraq Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Iraq

Name: Iraq
Address: IQ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $389 in India versus $762 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $618 in India versus $1,166 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $1,570 in Iraq.

Living in India costs about 49% less than in Iraq on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Iraq 43% lower.

India ($270–$887) 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

$2.58 ₹244

$4.67 IQD 6,114

-44.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.07 ₹1,332

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

-37.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₹392

$6.22 IQD 8,146

-33.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₹171

$2.34 IQD 3,059

-22.65%

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

$0.43 ₹40.80

$0.39 IQD 505

10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.44

$0.19 IQD 247

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 ₹186

$2.22 IQD 2,904

-11.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₹329

$2.62 IQD 3,430

32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.3

$1.23 IQD 1,614

-41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.06

$0.82 IQD 1,073

-40.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.6

$1.55 IQD 2,024

-56.77%

Eggs

$0.99 ₹93.7

$1.80 IQD 2,360

-45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 ₹487

$5.15 IQD 6,741

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ₹303

$4.13 IQD 5,415

-22.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ₹209

$1.06 IQD 1,391

108.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹66.1

$1.17 IQD 1,527

-40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹99.0

$1.00 IQD 1,306

5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.89

$0.69 IQD 909

-23.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.45

$0.61 IQD 803

-29.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₹45.99

$0.65 IQD 855

-24.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.05

$0.65 IQD 850

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.71

$0.55 IQD 722

-41.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ₹390

$1.91 IQD 2,501

116.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 ₹714

$12.06 IQD 15.8K

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₹172

$1.77 IQD 2,324

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹273

$2.26 IQD 2,961

27.43%

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

$5.63 ₹533

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₹31.76

$0.39 IQD 512

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.70 ₹918

$33.19 IQD 43.5K

-70.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 ₹91.5

$2.31 IQD 3,026

-58.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.17

$1.75 IQD 2,292

-84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₹160

$6.16 IQD 8,063

-72.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹117

$0.59 IQD 774

108.47%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

-25.09%

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

$23.0K ₹2.2M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

14.33%

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

$40.37 ₹3,819

$99.9 IQD 130.8K

-59.57%

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

$3.90 ₹369

$19.71 IQD 25.8K

-80.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.98 ₹755

$32.89 IQD 43.1K

-75.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.26 ₹1,538

$34.48 IQD 45.2K

-52.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 ₹722

$14.75 IQD 19.3K

-48.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 ₹336

$7.48 IQD 9,802

-52.41%

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

$70.8 ₹6,695

$134 IQD 175.3K

-47.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,810 ₹171.2K

$2,613 IQD 3.4M

-30.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.95 ₹2,361

$22.02 IQD 28.8K

13.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.83 ₹2,539

$26.23 IQD 34.4K

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.39 ₹4,294

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

-21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.38 ₹3,159

$40.28 IQD 52.8K

-17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₹16.3K

$300 IQD 392.5K

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 ₹10.7K

$194 IQD 253.8K

-41.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 ₹39.0K

$557 IQD 729.3K

-25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ₹24.3K

$376 IQD 492.5K

-31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,260 ₹119.2K

$1,528 IQD 2.0M

-17.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$631 ₹59.7K

$757 IQD 991.4K

-16.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 ₹40.9K

$563 IQD 737.2K

-23.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.02

8.23

9.60%

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

Last update for India: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iraq: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $127 in India, $254 in Iraq. Capital cities: $242 in Delhi vs $557 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $401 in India, $557 in Iraq. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 100% higher in Iraq.

Dining out costs 118% more in Iraq.

Public transport is 267% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 39% higher in Iraq, giving India 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

India vs Iraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $579 per month in India and $805 in Iraq, there's a 39% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Iraq, 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. India wins on affordability; Iraq may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.