Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkey and Iraq Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkey and Iraq

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,082 in Turkey versus $761 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,677 in Turkey versus $1,168 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Turkey versus $1,575 in Iraq.

Living in Turkey is roughly 42% more expensive than Iraq on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Turkey 19% lower, Iraq 43% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Turkey: monthly costs span $868 to $1,734, compared to $535$1,074 in Iraq. City choice carries more weight in Turkey.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.02 ₺417
$4.62 IQD 6,049
95.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.77 ₺1,793
$23.22 IQD 30.4K
66.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.07 ₺373
$6.17 IQD 8,081
30.79%
Cappuccino
$3.29 ₺152
$2.24 IQD 2,936
46.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 ₺61.9
$0.42 IQD 549
219.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₺22.78
$0.17 IQD 227
188.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.46 ₺160
$2.25 IQD 2,951
53.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₺207
$2.73 IQD 3,574
64.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 ₺47.55
$1.23 IQD 1,611
-16.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₺36.94
$0.82 IQD 1,073
-2.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ₺104
$1.58 IQD 2,065
42.41%
Eggs
$2.28 ₺105
$1.79 IQD 2,346
27.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.04 ₺465
$4.98 IQD 6,517
101.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.86 ₺271
$4.11 IQD 5,376
42.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.07 ₺882
$12.42 IQD 16.3K
53.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.35 ₺62.3
$1.04 IQD 1,356
29.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺107
$1.13 IQD 1,475
103.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.18 ₺54.6
$1.05 IQD 1,373
12.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.48 ₺68.6
$0.68 IQD 895
117.65%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₺34.78
$0.62 IQD 807
20.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.62 ₺28.53
$0.65 IQD 852
-4.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 ₺48.54
$0.66 IQD 865
59.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₺23.65
$0.51 IQD 672
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.12 ₺98.0
$2.00 IQD 2,624
6.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.95 ₺507
$11.92 IQD 15.6K
-8.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 ₺99.3
$1.86 IQD 2,435
15.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ₺131
$2.16 IQD 2,834
30.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 ₺31.32
$0.40 IQD 521
70.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.74 ₺2,116
$32.71 IQD 42.8K
39.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.10 ₺50.9
$2.35 IQD 3,073
-53.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 ₺30.04
$1.74 IQD 2,273
-62.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.58 ₺351
$6.10 IQD 7,990
24.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 ₺55.0
$0.60 IQD 781
98.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.8K ₺2.0M
$18.3K IQD 24.0M
139.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.2K ₺2.0M
$19.9K IQD 26.0M
122.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.8 ₺3,276
$98.4 IQD 128.9K
-28.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.01 ₺509
$19.08 IQD 25.0K
-42.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.65 ₺632
$32.47 IQD 42.5K
-57.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.73 ₺2,300
$34.81 IQD 45.6K
42.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.71 ₺819
$14.82 IQD 19.4K
19.50%
Cinema Ticket
$6.31 ₺292
$7.77 IQD 10.2K
-18.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$623 ₺28.8K
$134 IQD 174.8K
366.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K ₺589.5K
$2,580 IQD 3.4M
393.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 ₺2,513
$22.33 IQD 29.2K
143.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.71 ₺2,022
$26.27 IQD 34.4K
66.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 ₺4,863
$57.6 IQD 75.4K
82.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.0 ₺4,484
$39.99 IQD 52.4K
142.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$651 ₺30.1K
$300 IQD 392.7K
117.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$459 ₺21.2K
$198 IQD 258.8K
132.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺54.6K
$547 IQD 716.9K
115.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$738 ₺34.1K
$376 IQD 493.0K
96.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,711 ₺79.2K
$1,635 IQD 2.1M
4.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,101 ₺51.0K
$779 IQD 1.0M
41.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Iraq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,092 ₺50.5K
$576 IQD 754.6K
89.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
42.38
8.23
414.95%

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

Last update for Turkey: June 6, 2026

Last update for Iraq: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $527 in Turkey, $255 in Iraq. Capital cities: $737 in Ankara vs $553 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $1,051 in Turkey, $557 in Iraq. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 107% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 25% more in Turkey.

Salaries are 89% higher in Turkey, giving Turkey 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
Turkey vs Iraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Iraq compare to Turkey?
At $805 per month in Iraq and $1,301 in Turkey, there's a 62% 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 Turkey?
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 Turkey?
Rent in Turkey 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 Turkey on $1,000 per month?
In Iraq, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Turkey, 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 Turkey?
It depends on what you're after. Iraq wins on affordability; Turkey may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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