Cost of Living Comparison Between Iraq and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Iraq and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $761 in Iraq versus $392 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Iraq versus $592 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,575 in Iraq versus $792 in Pakistan.

Living in Iraq is roughly 94% more expensive than Pakistan on average.

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

Internal cost variation is higher in Iraq: monthly costs span $535 to $1,074, compared to $289–$533 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Iraq.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 IQD 6,049

$1.75 PKR 488

164.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 IQD 30.4K

$12.30 PKR 3,421

88.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 IQD 8,081

$4.12 PKR 1,147

49.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 PKR 1,161

Cappuccino

$2.24 IQD 2,936

$1.72 PKR 479

30.23%

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

$0.42 IQD 549

$0.33 PKR 92.6

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 227

$0.21 PKR 58.2

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 IQD 2,951

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,574

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,611

$0.82 PKR 227

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$0.55 PKR 152

49.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,065

$1.17 PKR 325

35.04%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.21 PKR 337

47.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 IQD 6,517

$5.92 PKR 1,645

-15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 IQD 5,376

$2.91 PKR 810

41.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 IQD 16.3K

$4.14 PKR 1,151

200.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,356

$1.06 PKR 294

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,475

$0.62 PKR 172

82.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,373

$0.76 PKR 213

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$0.53 PKR 147

28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 807

$0.38 PKR 106

63.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 852

$0.48 PKR 134

35.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 865

$0.38 PKR 106

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 672

$0.39 PKR 108

30.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 295

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$2.04 PKR 567

-1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 IQD 15.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,435

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,834

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.20 PKR 56.5

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.71 IQD 42.8K

$7.26 PKR 2,020

350.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,073

$0.90 PKR 252

161.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,273

$0.52 PKR 146

234.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 IQD 7,990

$1.74 PKR 484

250.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 IQD 781

$0.96 PKR 268

-37.50%

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

5.33%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

-15.29%

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

$98.4 IQD 128.9K

$111 PKR 30.9K

-11.34%

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

$19.08 IQD 25.0K

$4.55 PKR 1,266

319.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

$15.24 PKR 4,236

113.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.81 IQD 45.6K

$13.26 PKR 3,686

162.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 IQD 19.4K

$8.49 PKR 2,360

74.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$4.28 PKR 1,191

81.54%

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

$134 IQD 174.8K

$38.97 PKR 10.8K

242.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,580 IQD 3.4M

$1,177 PKR 327.3K

119.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.33 IQD 29.2K

$15.65 PKR 4,352

42.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$23.01 PKR 6,398

14.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

$72.5 PKR 20.2K

-20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.99 IQD 52.4K

$32.10 PKR 8,925

24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 IQD 392.7K

$111 PKR 30.8K

170.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 IQD 258.8K

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

197.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 IQD 716.9K

$271 PKR 75.5K

101.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 IQD 493.0K

$166 PKR 46.0K

127.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 IQD 2.1M

$987 PKR 274.5K

65.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$779 IQD 1.0M

$517 PKR 143.8K

50.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 IQD 754.6K

$184 PKR 51.0K

213.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.23

18.97

-56.62%

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

Last update for Iraq: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $255 in Iraq, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $553 in Baghdad vs $201 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $557 in Iraq, $183 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 227% higher in Iraq.

Dining out costs 118% more in Iraq.

Public transport is 371% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 204% higher in Iraq, giving Iraq 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 Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $805 per month in Iraq and $411 in Pakistan, there's a 96% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Pakistan, $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. Pakistan wins on affordability; Iraq may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.