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

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $760 per month in Iraq vs $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

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

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

The cost of living in Iraq is roughly 65% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Iraq sits 43% below the global median, while Australia is 64% above – 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

$4.70 IQD 6,157

$15.97 A$22.93

-70.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$79.0 A$113

-70.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 IQD 8,494

$9.68 A$13.91

-32.95%

Cappuccino

$2.25 IQD 2,950

$3.58 A$5.15

-37.15%

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

$0.39 IQD 506

$2.56 A$3.68

-84.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 282

$2.22 A$3.19

-90.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 IQD 2,956

$6.34 A$9.10

-64.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 IQD 3,431

$6.95 A$9.98

-62.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 IQD 1,675

$1.56 A$2.25

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,072

$2.53 A$3.63

-67.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 IQD 2,045

$2.00 A$2.87

-22.00%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,268

$4.26 A$6.12

-59.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.89 IQD 6,402

$8.75 A$12.57

-44.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 IQD 5,429

$8.23 A$11.83

-49.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 IQD 16.4K

$14.15 A$20.33

-11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$3.26 A$4.69

-68.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,541

$2.81 A$4.04

-58.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,322

$3.00 A$4.31

-66.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 896

$4.31 A$6.19

-84.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 858

$2.55 A$3.67

-74.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 853

$2.16 A$3.10

-69.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 810

$2.22 A$3.19

-72.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 721

$1.53 A$2.20

-64.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,531

$31.28 A$44.93

-93.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 IQD 15.9K

$14.09 A$20.24

-13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,328

$4.44 A$6.38

-59.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,890

$4.90 A$7.05

-54.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$2.95 A$4.24

-87.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.91 IQD 43.1K

$95.9 A$138

-65.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 IQD 2,923

$3.49 A$5.01

-36.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.84 A$2.64

-7.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 IQD 7,841

$37.26 A$53.5

-83.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 IQD 774

$1.17 A$1.68

-49.57%

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

$18.2K IQD 23.8M

$28.7K A$41.3K

-36.79%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

$22.5K A$32.3K

-10.32%

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

$98.1 IQD 128.4K

$173 A$249

-43.44%

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

$19.26 IQD 25.2K

$26.62 A$38.23

-27.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.85 IQD 41.7K

$53.1 A$76.2

-40.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.85 IQD 45.6K

$46.82 A$67.3

-25.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 IQD 19.1K

$16.38 A$23.53

-11.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$13.56 A$19.48

-42.85%

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

$133 IQD 174.4K

$1,571 A$2,256

-91.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,672 IQD 3.5M

$12.6K A$18.1K

-78.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.72 IQD 29.8K

$72.1 A$104

-68.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.90 IQD 33.9K

$51.6 A$74.1

-49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 IQD 74.5K

$101 A$145

-43.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.49 IQD 51.7K

$108 A$155

-63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 IQD 397.0K

$1,398 A$2,008

-78.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 IQD 259.8K

$1,086 A$1,560

-81.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 IQD 718.8K

$2,272 A$3,263

-75.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 IQD 494.8K

$1,751 A$2,515

-78.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,559 IQD 2.0M

$7,955 A$11.4K

-80.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$789 IQD 1.0M

$5,978 A$8,587

-86.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 736.3K

$4,053 A$5,822

-86.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.23

6.35

29.61%

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

Last update for Iraq: July 25, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $562 in Iraq vs $3,808 in Australia. 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

Iraq vs Australia: 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.