Iraq’s $567 monthly wage trails living costs nearly threefold

2026-02-04 - 23:46

Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraq recorded an average monthly wage of $567 over the past year, placing ninth among Arab countries, according to the global database Numbeo. The ranking marks a slight shift from 2023, when Numbeo estimated Iraq’s average net monthly salary at about $549, placing it eighth in the Arab world. Despite the modest wage level, the data estimated that monthly living costs for a family of four in Iraq –excluding rent– stand at around $1,837. Gulf states dominated the regional rankings, with Qatar topping the list at an average monthly salary of $3,804, followed by the United Arab Emirates at $3,231 and Kuwait at $2,940. Oman ranked fourth with $2,381, ahead of Bahrain at $2,244 and Saudi Arabia at $2,057. Jordan placed seventh with an average monthly wage of $703, narrowly ahead of Lebanon at $568, while Iraq followed in ninth place. Morocco ranked tenth at $487, followed by Tunisia at $343 and Algeria at $312. Egypt recorded the lowest average among the listed countries, at $153 per month.