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

Name: India
Address: IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $761 in Iraq versus $389 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Iraq versus $618 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,575 in Iraq versus $846 in India.

Living in Iraq is roughly 96% more expensive than India on average.

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

Iraq ($535–$1,074) and India ($267–$883) 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

$2.62 ₹249

76.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 IQD 30.4K

$13.81 ₹1,313

68.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 IQD 8,081

$4.03 ₹383

53.10%

Cappuccino

$2.24 IQD 2,936

$1.81 ₹173

23.76%

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

$0.42 IQD 549

$0.44 ₹41.73

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 227

$0.19 ₹18.21

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 IQD 2,951

$1.93 ₹183

16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,574

$3.41 ₹324

-19.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,611

$0.71 ₹67.6

73.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$0.52 ₹49.46

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,065

$0.67 ₹63.8

135.82%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.00 ₹95.0

79.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 IQD 6,517

$5.44 ₹517

-8.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 IQD 5,376

$3.22 ₹307

27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 IQD 16.3K

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,356

$2.16 ₹206

-51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,475

$0.70 ₹66.6

61.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,373

$1.05 ₹99.6

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$0.54 ₹51.0

25.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 807

$0.43 ₹40.49

44.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 852

$0.49 ₹46.19

32.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 865

$0.55 ₹52.0

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 672

$0.35 ₹33.40

45.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$3.97 ₹377

-49.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 IQD 15.6K

$7.49 ₹712

59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,435

$1.91 ₹182

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,834

$2.92 ₹278

-26.03%

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

$5.89 ₹560

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.33 ₹31.64

21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.71 IQD 42.8K

$9.82 ₹934

233.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,073

$0.91 ₹86.5

158.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,273

$0.28 ₹26.23

521.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 IQD 7,990

$1.76 ₹167

246.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.22 ₹116

-50.82%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$13.8K ₹1.3M

33.14%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

-12.75%

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

$98.4 IQD 128.9K

$40.60 ₹3,862

142.44%

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

$19.08 IQD 25.0K

$3.90 ₹370

389.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

$8.00 ₹761

305.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.81 IQD 45.6K

$15.96 ₹1,518

118.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 IQD 19.4K

$7.79 ₹741

90.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$3.58 ₹340

117.04%

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

$134 IQD 174.8K

$69.7 ₹6,628

91.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,580 IQD 3.4M

$1,809 ₹172.0K

42.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.33 IQD 29.2K

$25.66 ₹2,440

-12.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$27.13 ₹2,580

-3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

$46.37 ₹4,410

24.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.99 IQD 52.4K

$32.55 ₹3,095

22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 IQD 392.7K

$175 ₹16.6K

71.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 IQD 258.8K

$114 ₹10.8K

73.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 IQD 716.9K

$401 ₹38.1K

36.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 IQD 493.0K

$259 ₹24.6K

45.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 IQD 2.1M

$1,220 ₹116.1K

33.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$779 IQD 1.0M

$629 ₹59.8K

23.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 IQD 754.6K

$428 ₹40.7K

34.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.23

9.02

-8.76%

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

Last update for Iraq: June 7, 2026

Last update for India: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $255 in Iraq, $126 in India. Capital cities: $553 in Baghdad vs $236 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $557 in Iraq, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 102% higher in Iraq.

Dining out costs 118% more in Iraq.

Public transport is 267% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 40% 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

Iraq vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $575 per month in India and $805 in Iraq, there's a 40% 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.