Cost of Living: New York vs Iraq (Baghdad)
How expensive is Iraq compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and IQD — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Baghdad
- Price level vs US average
- 42.0 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 1300.0 IQD
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 546.0 IQD
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Iraq’s national average. Major cities — especially Baghdad — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Iraq cheaper than New York?
Yes. Iraq is 63% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 37, New York = 100).
What salary in Iraq equals $100,000 in New York?
About $37,312 a year (about IQD 48,504,961 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Iraq as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Baghdad more expensive than Iraq’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Iraq’s national average price level; large cities such as Baghdad typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.