Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iraq and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Iraq: $720 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Iraq
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Iraq Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇮🇶 Iraq

$720

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iraq and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iraq and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Iraq versus $2,734 in the United States.

Iraq $720
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,090 in Iraq versus $3,985 in the United States.

Iraq $1,090
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,460 in Iraq versus $5,235 in the United States.

Iraq $1,460
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $500–$1,048 in Iraq. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Iraq costs about 74% less than in the United States on average.

Iraq (47% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 IQD 5,847

$20.03 $20.03

-80.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 IQD 29.8K

$80.0 $80.0

-75.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 IQD 9,886

$11.80 $11.80

-44.58%

Cappuccino

$2.43 IQD 3,676

$5.55 $5.55

-56.22%

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

$0.41 IQD 614

$2.66 $2.66

-84.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 262

$2.17 $2.17

-92.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 IQD 5,123

$6.12 $6.12

-44.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 IQD 4,927

$7.94 $7.94

-58.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 IQD 1,521

$1.04 $1.04

-2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 IQD 1,048

$3.59 $3.59

-80.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 IQD 2,084

$4.52 $4.52

-69.47%

Eggs

$1.56 IQD 2,358

$4.28 $4.28

-63.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.06 IQD 6,137

$13.22 $13.22

-69.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 IQD 5,597

$12.60 $12.60

-70.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 IQD 17.0K

$17.60 $17.60

-36.02%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,397

$5.30 $5.30

-82.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,508

$1.69 $1.69

-40.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 IQD 1,344

$4.44 $4.44

-79.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 914

$4.77 $4.77

-87.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 879

$2.97 $2.97

-80.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 863

$3.15 $3.15

-81.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 IQD 802

$2.20 $2.20

-75.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 671

$2.35 $2.35

-81.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 IQD 2,557

$10.98 $10.98

-84.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 IQD 15.4K

$15.05 $15.05

-32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 IQD 2,499

$2.06 $2.06

-19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 IQD 2,757

$3.79 $3.79

-51.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 IQD 514

$1.94 $1.94

-82.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 IQD 30.2K

$59.4 $59.4

-66.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 IQD 3,069

$3.58 $3.58

-43.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 2,220

$1.88 $1.88

-21.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 7,863

$29.84 $29.84

-82.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 852

$1.02 $1.02

-45.10%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

$28.8K $28.8K

-41.80%

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

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

$26.2K $26.2K

-36.50%

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

$96.4 IQD 145.7K

$218 $218

-55.77%

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

$13.50 IQD 20.4K

$62.5 $62.5

-78.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.17 IQD 44.1K

$74.5 $74.5

-60.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.82 IQD 46.6K

$41.86 $41.86

-26.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 IQD 24.8K

$22.81 $22.81

-28.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 IQD 10.5K

$14.70 $14.70

-52.79%

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

$158 IQD 238.2K

$1,489 $1,489

-89.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,605 IQD 3.9M

$25.3K $25.3K

-89.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.03 IQD 28.8K

$54.3 $54.3

-64.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.52 IQD 35.5K

$42.71 $42.71

-44.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.2 IQD 78.9K

$94.1 $94.1

-44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.65 IQD 58.4K

$114 $114

-65.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 IQD 411.9K

$1,659 $1,659

-83.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 IQD 282.5K

$1,348 $1,348

-86.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 IQD 768.3K

$2,682 $2,682

-81.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 IQD 540.5K

$2,169 $2,169

-83.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,491 IQD 2.3M

$3,283 $3,283

-54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 IQD 1.0M

$2,482 $2,482

-72.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 IQD 743.9K

$4,296 $4,296

-88.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

6.55

-3.51%

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

Last update for Iraq: October 24, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iraq

$187 26%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 621% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Iraq

$153 21.3%

United States

$415 15.2% 171% $262

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iraq

$139 19.3%

United States

$355 13% 155% $216

Eating Out

Iraq

$106 14.7%

United States

$328 12% 211% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Iraq

$60 8.3%

United States

$137 5% 128% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Iraq

$45 6.2%

United States

$71 2.6% 59.4% $27

Getting Around

Iraq

$31 4.3%

United States

$80 2.9% 161% $49

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $225 in Iraq, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $537 in Baghdad vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $491 in Iraq, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 620% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 241% more in the United States.

Public transport is 117% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 9.3 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Iraq

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

01:21 1:21 AM

7 h behind Iraq

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,274,618

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,682 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

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Between locations

Iraq United States 10,840 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Iraq
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $720 per month in Iraq and $2,734 in the United States, Iraq comes out about 74% cheaper. 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 cheaper in Iraq: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $225 in Iraq. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

It depends on what you’re after: Iraq wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.