Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Iraq Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Iraq

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,644 in Spain versus $762 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,400 in Spain versus $1,166 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $1,570 in Iraq.

Living in Spain is roughly 116% more expensive than Iraq on average.

Spain (23% above) and Iraq (43% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,115 to $3,300, compared to $535$1,074 in Iraq. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.01 €13.67
$4.67 IQD 6,114
242.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0 €50.4
$22.62 IQD 29.6K
160.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.26 €8.77
$6.22 IQD 8,146
64.95%
Cappuccino
$2.29 €1.95
$2.34 IQD 3,059
-2.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.21
$0.39 IQD 505
564.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.55
$0.19 IQD 247
852.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 €3.01
$2.22 IQD 2,904
59.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 €3.44
$2.62 IQD 3,430
53.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.06
$1.23 IQD 1,614
0.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.30
$0.82 IQD 1,073
85.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.37
$1.55 IQD 2,024
3.23%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.54
$1.80 IQD 2,360
65.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.49 €12.38
$5.15 IQD 6,741
181.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 €7.14
$4.13 IQD 5,415
102.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.62
$12.18 IQD 16.0K
30.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.17
$1.06 IQD 1,391
139.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 €1.79
$1.17 IQD 1,527
79.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 €1.76
$1.00 IQD 1,306
106.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.25
$0.69 IQD 909
282.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.58
$0.61 IQD 803
201.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 €1.63
$0.65 IQD 855
193.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 €1.14
$0.65 IQD 850
104.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.68
$0.55 IQD 722
45.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.43 €5.49
$1.91 IQD 2,501
236.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.82 €4.97
$12.06 IQD 15.8K
-51.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 €1.06
$1.77 IQD 2,324
-29.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.80
$2.26 IQD 2,961
-6.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Iraq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.70 €1.45
$0.39 IQD 512
335.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.64 €29.58
$33.19 IQD 43.5K
4.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.60 €3.93
$2.31 IQD 3,026
99.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 €1.15
$1.75 IQD 2,292
-22.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.00 €23.06
$6.16 IQD 8,063
338.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.57
$0.59 IQD 774
211.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K €32.7K
$18.3K IQD 24.0M
108.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K €26.7K
$20.1K IQD 26.4M
54.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 €129
$99.9 IQD 130.8K
51.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.30 €17.34
$19.71 IQD 25.8K
2.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.21 €28.36
$32.89 IQD 43.1K
0.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.38 €40.47
$34.48 IQD 45.2K
37.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.74 €13.44
$14.75 IQD 19.3K
6.71%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06 €7.74
$7.48 IQD 9,802
21.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$523 €446
$134 IQD 175.3K
290.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,978 €8,521
$2,613 IQD 3.4M
281.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €74.9
$22.02 IQD 28.8K
298.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.32 €31.87
$26.23 IQD 34.4K
42.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.7 €75.8
$57.6 IQD 75.4K
54.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €90.8
$40.28 IQD 52.8K
164.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Iraq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 €899
$300 IQD 392.5K
251.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$809 €691
$194 IQD 253.8K
317.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 €1,429
$557 IQD 729.3K
200.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,213 €1,036
$376 IQD 492.5K
222.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,487 €3,832
$1,528 IQD 2.0M
193.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,733 €2,334
$757 IQD 991.4K
261.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Iraq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,111 €1,803
$563 IQD 737.2K
275.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
8.23
-57.35%

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

Last update for Spain: April 25, 2026

Last update for Iraq: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $899 in Spain, $254 in Iraq. Capital cities: $1,595 in Madrid vs $557 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $2,010 in Spain, $557 in Iraq. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 254% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 121% more in Spain.

Salaries are 261% higher in Spain, giving Spain 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
Spain vs Iraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Iraq compare to Spain?
At $805 per month in Iraq and $2,208 in Spain, there's a 174% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Iraq vs Spain?
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.
Is rent more expensive in Iraq or Spain?
Rent in Spain 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.
Can you live in both Iraq and Spain on $1,000 per month?
In Iraq, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Iraq or Spain?
It depends on what you're after. Iraq wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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