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 $761 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,856 in United States versus $1,168 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,069 in United States versus $1,575 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 $1,346 to $5,196, compared to $535–$1,074 in Iraq. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$4.62 IQD 6,049

335.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$23.22 IQD 30.4K

218.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$6.17 IQD 8,081

87.36%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$2.24 IQD 2,936

127.23%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$0.42 IQD 549

514.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.17 IQD 227

1164.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.25 IQD 2,951

171.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$2.73 IQD 3,574

154.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.23 IQD 1,611

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$0.82 IQD 1,073

356.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.58 IQD 2,065

186.71%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$1.79 IQD 2,346

147.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$4.98 IQD 6,517

160.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 $12.25

$4.11 IQD 5,376

198.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$12.42 IQD 16.3K

30.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.04 IQD 1,356

410.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.13 IQD 1,475

45.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.05 IQD 1,373

322.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$0.68 IQD 895

639.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.62 IQD 807

380.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.65 IQD 852

366.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.66 IQD 865

242.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.51 IQD 672

347.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$2.00 IQD 2,624

406.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.92 IQD 15.6K

25.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.86 IQD 2,435

5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.16 IQD 2,834

69.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.40 IQD 521

507.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 $64.7

$32.71 IQD 42.8K

97.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.35 IQD 3,073

62.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.74 IQD 2,273

2.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 $30.45

$6.10 IQD 7,990

399.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.60 IQD 781

46.67%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

65.23%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

30.14%

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

$205 $205

$98.4 IQD 128.9K

108.32%

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

$57.6 $57.6

$19.08 IQD 25.0K

201.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

121.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.53 $45.53

$34.81 IQD 45.6K

30.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.32 $22.32

$14.82 IQD 19.4K

50.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.82 $13.82

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

77.86%

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

$1,374 $1,374

$134 IQD 174.8K

929.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$2,580 IQD 3.4M

792.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$22.33 IQD 29.2K

129.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 $43.35

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

65.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$57.6 IQD 75.4K

58.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$39.99 IQD 52.4K

188.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 $1,761

$300 IQD 392.7K

487.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$198 IQD 258.8K

622.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 $2,843

$547 IQD 716.9K

419.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$376 IQD 493.0K

532.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,299 $3,299

$1,635 IQD 2.1M

101.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,587 $2,587

$779 IQD 1.0M

232.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,234 $4,234

$576 IQD 754.6K

634.81%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iraq: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $255 in Iraq. Capital cities: $1,583 in Washington, MI vs $553 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $4,496 in United States, $557 in Iraq. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 541% 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 $3,271 in United States, there's a 307% 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.