From cars to kitchens, repair costs strain Iraqi wallets
Shafaq News- Baghdad
A damaged car, a broken refrigerator, or an air conditioner that stops working can quickly become an unexpected financial burden for Iraqi households. As the dollar rises, the cost of spare parts and repair materials is climbing, forcing people to postpone repairs, settle for cheaper alternatives, or keep using faulty equipment for as long as they can.
For some local tradespeople, the same pressures are creating another problem: fewer customers and dwindling orders.
Mufid Ali, an Iraqi citizen, told Shafaq News that maintaining cars and electrical appliances had become increasingly expensive as spare-part prices rose. When his car is involved in an accident, he often puts off repairs because replacement parts and repair-shop fees are too expensive.
Labor charges have risen only modestly, he explained, but spare-part prices have increased much more sharply. The difference can make repairs difficult to afford, particularly when several components need replacing at once.
For Mohammed Nasser, an engineer and government employee, the problem is especially frustrating when his car breaks down and the cost of fixing it becomes disproportionate to his limited monthly income.
To keep expenses down, he turns to used spare parts or cheaper aftermarket alternatives. Even damage that appears minor can cost him at least 100,000 Iraqi dinars ($66.10) to repair, he told Shafaq News.
“These are not simply decisions about whether to spend money now or later. They are calculations about what a household can afford, what can safely wait, and which expenses must take priority.”
The same dilemma is playing out inside Iraqi homes, where refrigerators and air conditioners are among the appliances affected by rising repair costs.
Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash from blocs inside the cabinet
Abu Murtadha, who runs a home appliance repair workshop, told Shafaq News that customer numbers had fallen in recent months, attributing the decline to the country's financial difficulties.
“The cost of spare parts has risen dramatically,” he said. “Some have doubled in price, while others have increased by more than 100%.”
One example is R-22 refrigerant gas, used in air-conditioning systems. A cylinder that previously sold for between 80,000 and 110,000 dinars ($52.88–$72.72) now costs around 180,000 dinars ($118.98).
The squeeze extends beyond household repairs. Rising raw-material costs are also affecting local furniture makers, who must compete with imported products that often sell for considerably less than locally made alternatives.
The owner of Al-Shams Carpentry Workshop said business had declined sharply in recent months. New orders had become increasingly rare as more customers turned to imported furniture, particularly cheaper, mass-produced products.
The price difference can be difficult for local workshops to overcome. Making a bedroom set in Iraq costs around 3.5 million dinars ($2.31K), according to the workshop owner. A commercially produced Turkish bedroom set, by comparison, can be bought for about 900,000 dinars ($594.88).
Imported furniture may be less durable, he said, and its materials and quality can differ considerably from those of locally made products. Yet the price gap is substantial enough to sway customers, especially those who cannot afford to pay more upfront.
Last week, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) raised the official cash selling rate for the public from 1,320 to 1,520 dinars per dollar, prompting political parties and trade unions to demand a reversal. CBI Governor Nizar Hussein told Parliament’s Finance Committee that the official rate had been fixed at 1,500 dinars per dollar, with the draft federal budget already based on that figure.
Iraq derives almost all government revenue from oil exports, earning dollars that are exchanged through the Central Bank for dinars to fund public spending, including salaries.
Read more: Source: Iraqi leaders backed dollar hike before announcement
