Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Kut and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Kut and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $734 per month in Al Kut vs $1,074 in Baghdad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,139 per month in Al Kut vs $1,573 in Baghdad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,544 per month in Al Kut vs $2,073 in Baghdad, rent included.

Al Kut is about 32% cheaper than Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Baghdad are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 45% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 IQD 5,220

$5.27 IQD 6,895

-24.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.40 IQD 32.0K

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

-33.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 IQD 9,169

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-10.03%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,448

$2.98 IQD 3,909

-11.74%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.39 IQD 512

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 259

$0.17 IQD 216

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,838

$3.38 IQD 4,429

-13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,831

$2.89 IQD 3,785

1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,800

$1.30 IQD 1,702

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,025

$0.83 IQD 1,087

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 IQD 2,038

$1.67 IQD 2,181

-6.59%

Eggs

$1.58 IQD 2,071

$1.79 IQD 2,343

-11.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 IQD 5,733

$4.52 IQD 5,918

-3.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,561

$4.84 IQD 6,342

-28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-8.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,133

$1.28 IQD 1,680

-32.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,309

$1.15 IQD 1,504

-13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$1.04 IQD 1,363

-16.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 898

$0.70 IQD 914

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.69 IQD 897

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.62 IQD 813

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 818

$0.67 IQD 883

-7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 693

$0.63 IQD 824

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$2.13 IQD 2,786

-12.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,403

$1.79 IQD 2,348

2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,726

$2.15 IQD 2,812

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.76 IQD 993

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 IQD 41.0K

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

11.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,093

$3.78 IQD 4,954

-37.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,000

$1.53 IQD 1,999

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 IQD 7,963

$7.54 IQD 9,868

-19.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.57 IQD 750

-5.26%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-2.39%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-2.15%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.2K

$181 IQD 236.7K

-58.09%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

-30.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

-14.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

-11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

-10.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 IQD 9,859

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-3.59%

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

$150 IQD 196.5K

$166 IQD 217.8K

-9.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,222 IQD 4.2M

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

-8.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.59 IQD 34.8K

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

-5.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

-14.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.02 IQD 53.7K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

-6.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.5K

$553 IQD 724.7K

-55.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.8K

$320 IQD 418.5K

-43.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 753.7K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.2K

$583 IQD 763.6K

-41.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$996 IQD 1.3M

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

-75.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 IQD 650.9K

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

-69.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 IQD 848.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al Kut: June 8, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Al Kut versus $553 in Baghdad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Al Kut versus $37.00 in Baghdad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $190 – making Al Kut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Al Kut vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $734 in Al Kut, $1,074 in Baghdad – roughly 46% apart. Baghdad costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in Al Kut and $1,610 in Baghdad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Baghdad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Al Kut and $37.00 in Baghdad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Baghdad at $1,074. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baghdad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kut – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al Kut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baghdad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.