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: $561 in Iraq versus $450 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $864 in Iraq versus $678 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,166 in Iraq versus $905 in Pakistan.

Living in Iraq is roughly 25% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Iraq 59% lower, Pakistan 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 IQD 5,902

$2.10 PKR 581

114.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

$14.51 PKR 4,021

56.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 IQD 9,743

$5.53 PKR 1,533

34.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 PKR 594

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PKR 1,120

Cappuccino

$2.75 IQD 3,597

$2.04 PKR 564

34.80%

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

$0.42 IQD 551

$0.38 PKR 105

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 315

$0.24 PKR 66.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 IQD 5,028

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 IQD 5,060

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,497

$0.85 PKR 235

34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,112

$0.63 PKR 174

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 1,987

$1.22 PKR 339

24.59%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,271

$1.22 PKR 337

41.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.85 IQD 6,352

$5.79 PKR 1,603

-16.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 IQD 5,573

$2.90 PKR 803

46.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 IQD 16.9K

$5.08 PKR 1,407

154.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,373

$1.13 PKR 313

-7.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$0.69 PKR 191

63.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,263

$0.84 PKR 232

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.57 PKR 159

17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 886

$0.34 PKR 95.0

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 792

$0.42 PKR 116

45.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 880

$0.34 PKR 95.1

97.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 666

$0.41 PKR 113

24.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.04 PKR 566

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 299

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 644

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$2.14 PKR 594

-12.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 IQD 15.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 IQD 2,594

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,769

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.18 PKR 48.48

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.00 IQD 34.0K

$9.87 PKR 2,736

163.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,955

$0.91 PKR 252

148.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 IQD 2,175

$0.52 PKR 144

219.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 IQD 7,817

$2.17 PKR 601

175.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 860

$1.22 PKR 337

-45.90%

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

$16.9K IQD 22.2M

$18.3K PKR 5.1M

-7.44%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

-24.90%

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

$113 IQD 148.2K

$108 PKR 30.0K

4.50%

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

$15.84 IQD 20.7K

$5.35 PKR 1,481

196.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.79 IQD 44.2K

$15.67 PKR 4,340

115.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

$15.93 PKR 4,412

124.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 IQD 24.0K

$10.70 PKR 2,964

71.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$4.41 PKR 1,222

76.42%

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

$171 IQD 224.2K

$42.68 PKR 11.8K

301.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,756 IQD 3.6M

$1,343 PKR 372.0K

105.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.41 IQD 28.0K

$15.94 PKR 4,417

34.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.13 IQD 35.5K

$23.78 PKR 6,589

14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.7 IQD 78.1K

$78.7 PKR 21.8K

-24.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.36 IQD 58.1K

$33.79 PKR 9,361

31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 IQD 403.0K

$134 PKR 37.1K

129.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 IQD 275.6K

$77.9 PKR 21.6K

170.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 IQD 722.0K

$309 PKR 85.5K

78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 IQD 524.4K

$172 PKR 47.7K

132.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 IQD 2.0M

$1,017 PKR 281.8K

53.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$789 IQD 1.0M

$522 PKR 144.5K

51.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 IQD 762.0K

$185 PKR 51.2K

214.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

13.96

-54.73%

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

Last update for Iraq: September 5, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $133 in Iraq, $122 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $566 in Baghdad vs $270 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $551 in Iraq, $181 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 9% higher in Iraq.

Dining out costs 54% more in Iraq.

Public transport is 22% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 204% higher in Iraq, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Iraq.

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 $562 per month in Iraq and $450 in Pakistan, there's a 25% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Pakistan: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.