cost
Cost of Living Index
Lao PDR60.3 / 0
Iraq38 / 100
Comparison
Side-by-side data for relocation, travel, hiring, and investment decisions. Values are shown with source-backed metric definitions so trade-offs are easy to compare.
Bars and radar use 0-100 better scores. Tooltips keep the raw source values visible.
Chart summary: Iraq leads Cost of Living Index with 100 out of 100; Lao PDR leads Safety Index with 100 out of 100; Lao PDR leads Median Monthly Rent with 100 out of 100; Iraq leads House Price to Income with 100 out of 100. A complete normalized score table follows.
| Metric | Place | Raw value | Normalized score | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | Lao PDR | 60.3 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Cost of Living Index | Iraq | 38 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Safety Index | Lao PDR | 78.6 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Safety Index | Iraq | 34.6 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Median Monthly Rent | Lao PDR | $1,629 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Median Monthly Rent | Iraq | $1,711 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Lao PDR | 16.2x | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Iraq | 4.2x | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Lao PDR | $177/mo | 0 out of 100 | 2024 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Iraq | $506/mo | 100 out of 100 | 2024 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Lao PDR | 1.2% | 100 out of 100 | 2025 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Iraq | 15.5% | 0 out of 100 | 2025 | World Bank Open Data |
| Healthcare Access Index | Lao PDR | 78.6 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Healthcare Access Index | Iraq | 86.7 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Lao PDR | 75.1 years | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Iraq | 68.6 years | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
cost
safety
housing
housing
jobs
jobs
health
health
Winner
Iraq wins on 13 of 22 metrics compared to Lao PDR.
Winner logic counts row wins after applying each metric direction. Exact ties do not count. Methodology
Top trade-offs
Lao PDR leads safety, rent, and jobs; Iraq leads cost, housing, and salary.
cost
Lao PDR
60.3
Iraq
38
safety
Lao PDR
78.6
Iraq
34.6
housing
Lao PDR
$1,629
Iraq
$1,711
housing
Lao PDR
16.2x
Iraq
4.2x
jobs
Lao PDR
$177/mo
Iraq
$506/mo
jobs
Lao PDR
1.2%
Iraq
15.5%
health
Lao PDR
78.6
Iraq
86.7
health
Lao PDR
75.1 years
Iraq
68.6 years
environment
environment
infrastructure
demographics
Lao PDR
1.4%
Iraq
2.1%
education
Lao PDR
51
Iraq
74.1
transport
Lao PDR
41
Iraq
86.6
safety
Lao PDR
0.7 per 100k
Iraq
9.5 per 100k
safety
Lao PDR
68.0 per 100k
Iraq
59.4 per 100k
health
Lao PDR
39.3%
Iraq
40.3%
quality
Lao PDR
6.8
Iraq
6.7
housing
Lao PDR
$14,301/sqm
Iraq
$1,543/sqm
religion
Lao PDR
47.5%
Iraq
50.0%
religion
Lao PDR
12.9%
Iraq
29.1%
religion
Lao PDR
91.9%
Iraq
85.6%
Some city-level values are modeled estimates when official city-level data is unavailable.
Each metric keeps its source, year, last refreshed date, and confidence label visible. Review methodology or Data Sources.