Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Iraq Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Iraq

Name: Iraq
Address: IQ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $762 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,166 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,071 in United States versus $1,570 in Iraq.

Living in United States is roughly 247% more expensive than Iraq on average.

United States (97% above) and Iraq (43% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,320 to $5,119, compared to $535–$1,074 in Iraq. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$4.67 IQD 6,114

333.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

228.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 $11.29

$6.22 IQD 8,146

81.51%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$2.34 IQD 3,059

118.80%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.39 IQD 505

551.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.19 IQD 247

1015.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.22 IQD 2,904

163.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$2.62 IQD 3,430

161.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.23 IQD 1,614

-16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$0.82 IQD 1,073

354.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.55 IQD 2,024

190.97%

Eggs

$4.30 $4.30

$1.80 IQD 2,360

138.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 $13.16

$5.15 IQD 6,741

155.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$4.13 IQD 5,415

200.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

32.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$1.06 IQD 1,391

402.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.17 IQD 1,527

47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.00 IQD 1,306

356.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$0.69 IQD 909

607.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.61 IQD 803

370.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$0.65 IQD 855

376.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.65 IQD 850

244.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.55 IQD 722

310.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$1.91 IQD 2,501

427.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$12.06 IQD 15.8K

26.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.77 IQD 2,324

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.26 IQD 2,961

55.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.39 IQD 512

558.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.0 $66.0

$33.19 IQD 43.5K

98.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.31 IQD 3,026

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.75 IQD 2,292

-2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 $30.03

$6.16 IQD 8,063

387.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.59 IQD 774

57.63%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

65.04%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

28.87%

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

$206 $206

$99.9 IQD 130.8K

106.73%

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

$57.1 $57.1

$19.71 IQD 25.8K

189.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$32.89 IQD 43.1K

122.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.50 $46.50

$34.48 IQD 45.2K

34.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.07 $22.07

$14.75 IQD 19.3K

49.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$7.48 IQD 9,802

89.04%

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

$1,371 $1,371

$134 IQD 175.3K

924.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K $22.8K

$2,613 IQD 3.4M

771.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$22.02 IQD 28.8K

133.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.27 $42.27

$26.23 IQD 34.4K

61.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

56.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$40.28 IQD 52.8K

182.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 $1,740

$300 IQD 392.5K

480.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 $1,409

$194 IQD 253.8K

627.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,912 $2,912

$557 IQD 729.3K

422.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 $2,377

$376 IQD 492.5K

532.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,412 $3,412

$1,528 IQD 2.0M

123.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,669 $2,669

$757 IQD 991.4K

252.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,242 $4,242

$563 IQD 737.2K

653.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

8.23

-20.90%

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

Last update for United States: April 28, 2026

Last update for Iraq: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $254 in Iraq. Capital cities: $2,512 in Washington, DC vs $557 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $4,494 in United States, $557 in Iraq. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 544% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 204% more in United States.

Public transport is 32% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 707% higher in United States, giving United States 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

United States vs Iraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $805 per month in Iraq and $3,220 in United States, there's a 300% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United States 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.

In Iraq, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, 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. Iraq wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.