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

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $761 in Iraq versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Iraq versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,575 in Iraq versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Iraq is roughly 7% more expensive than China on average.

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

Iraq ($535–$1,074) and China ($535–$1,206) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 IQD 6,049

$2.86 ¥19.36

61.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 IQD 30.4K

$23.29 ¥158

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 IQD 8,081

$4.83 ¥32.66

27.74%

Cappuccino

$2.24 IQD 2,936

$3.04 ¥20.52

-26.32%

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

$0.42 IQD 549

$0.45 ¥3.03

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 227

$0.27 ¥1.81

-37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 IQD 2,951

$0.99 ¥6.71

127.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,574

$2.03 ¥13.74

34.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,611

$1.75 ¥11.86

-29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$1.67 ¥11.31

-50.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,065

$0.97 ¥6.56

62.89%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.54 ¥10.45

16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 IQD 6,517

$13.30 ¥89.9

-62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 IQD 5,376

$3.21 ¥21.69

28.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 IQD 16.3K

$10.79 ¥73.0

15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,356

$1.81 ¥12.27

-42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,475

$1.31 ¥8.84

-13.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,373

$1.50 ¥10.15

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$1.14 ¥7.74

-40.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 807

$0.73 ¥4.90

-15.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 852

$0.87 ¥5.86

-25.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 865

$0.57 ¥3.85

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 672

$0.54 ¥3.63

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$3.53 ¥23.88

-43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 IQD 15.6K

$11.71 ¥79.2

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,435

$0.84 ¥5.67

121.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,834

$1.67 ¥11.29

29.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.41 ¥2.75

-2.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.71 IQD 42.8K

$20.78 ¥141

57.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,073

$1.36 ¥9.21

72.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,273

$0.33 ¥2.21

427.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 IQD 7,990

$6.86 ¥46.40

-11.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.12 ¥7.57

-46.43%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$19.2K ¥129.8K

-4.49%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$16.9K ¥114.4K

17.41%

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

$98.4 IQD 128.9K

$51.8 ¥350

89.98%

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

$19.08 IQD 25.0K

$9.85 ¥66.6

93.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

$11.13 ¥75.3

191.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.81 IQD 45.6K

$39.10 ¥264

-10.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 IQD 19.4K

$14.89 ¥101

-0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$6.25 ¥42.24

24.32%

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

$134 IQD 174.8K

$404 ¥2,732

-66.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,580 IQD 3.4M

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-85.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.33 IQD 29.2K

$46.11 ¥312

-51.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$32.27 ¥218

-18.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

$72.7 ¥491

-20.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.99 IQD 52.4K

$72.9 ¥493

-45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 IQD 392.7K

$445 ¥3,009

-32.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 IQD 258.8K

$255 ¥1,727

-22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 IQD 716.9K

$927 ¥6,266

-40.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 IQD 493.0K

$532 ¥3,600

-29.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 IQD 2.1M

$4,943 ¥33.4K

-66.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$779 IQD 1.0M

$2,492 ¥16.9K

-68.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 IQD 754.6K

$1,057 ¥7,148

-45.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.23

4.06

102.71%

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

Last update for Iraq: June 7, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $255 in Iraq, $286 in China. Capital cities: $553 in Baghdad vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $557 in Iraq, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 12% higher in China.

Dining out costs 14% more in Iraq.

Public transport is 83% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 55% 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

Iraq vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 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.