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 $760 in Iraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,167 in Iraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $1,574 in Iraq.

Living in United States is roughly 248% more expensive than in Iraq on average.

United States (99% above) and Iraq (43% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,341 to $5,153, compared to $521–$1,055 in Iraq. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$4.70 IQD 6,157

318.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

218.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$6.49 IQD 8,494

74.88%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$2.25 IQD 2,950

128.89%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.39 IQD 506

551.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.22 IQD 282

872.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.26 IQD 2,956

171.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$2.62 IQD 3,431

161.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.28 IQD 1,675

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.82 IQD 1,072

331.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.56 IQD 2,045

198.72%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$1.73 IQD 2,268

142.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$4.89 IQD 6,402

160.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$4.15 IQD 5,429

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 $16.15

$12.49 IQD 16.4K

29.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.03 IQD 1,345

400.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.18 IQD 1,541

45.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.01 IQD 1,322

356.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$0.68 IQD 896

627.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$0.66 IQD 858

356.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$0.65 IQD 853

386.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.62 IQD 810

262.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.55 IQD 721

298.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$1.93 IQD 2,531

421.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$12.15 IQD 15.9K

25.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.78 IQD 2,328

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.21 IQD 2,890

59.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.36 IQD 477

580.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 $65.3

$32.91 IQD 43.1K

98.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.23 IQD 2,923

67.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.71 IQD 2,244

2.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 $29.83

$5.99 IQD 7,841

398.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.59 IQD 774

62.71%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$18.2K IQD 23.8M

62.60%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

30.15%

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

$204 $204

$98.1 IQD 128.4K

108.22%

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

$56.7 $56.7

$19.26 IQD 25.2K

194.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$31.85 IQD 41.7K

125.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.88 $45.88

$34.85 IQD 45.6K

31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.70 $21.70

$14.57 IQD 19.1K

48.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

80.13%

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

$1,400 $1,400

$133 IQD 174.4K

950.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$2,672 IQD 3.5M

759.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$22.72 IQD 29.8K

134.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 $42.28

$25.90 IQD 33.9K

63.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$56.9 IQD 74.5K

60.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$39.49 IQD 51.7K

188.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 $1,704

$303 IQD 397.0K

462.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

$198 IQD 259.8K

633.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$549 IQD 718.8K

434.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,420 $2,420

$378 IQD 494.8K

540.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,366 $3,366

$1,559 IQD 2.0M

115.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,596 $2,596

$789 IQD 1.0M

229.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,392 $4,392

$562 IQD 736.3K

681.16%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Iraq: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $254 in Iraq. Capital cities: $2,575 in Washington, DC vs $554 in Baghdad.

National salary averages: $4,499 in United States, $562 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 28% more expensive in Iraq.

Salaries are 701% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 $788 per month in Iraq and $3,247 in United States, there's a 312% gap. 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 simply cheaper in Iraq: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.