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 $719 per month in Al Kut vs $1,074 in Baghdad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Al Kut vs $1,581 in Baghdad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,530 per month in Al Kut vs $2,088 in Baghdad, rent included.

Al Kut is about 33% cheaper than Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Baghdad are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 46% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 IQD 5,164

$5.26 IQD 6,892

-25.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

$36.91 IQD 48.3K

-32.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 IQD 8,851

$7.46 IQD 9,777

-9.38%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,451

$3.01 IQD 3,939

-12.62%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.36 IQD 477

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 281

$0.18 IQD 230

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,843

$3.51 IQD 4,596

-16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,847

$2.83 IQD 3,706

3.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$1.36 IQD 1,784

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,095

$0.80 IQD 1,042

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.61 IQD 2,102

-7.45%

Eggs

$1.59 IQD 2,080

$1.72 IQD 2,247

-7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 IQD 5,977

$4.40 IQD 5,759

3.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 IQD 4,689

$4.87 IQD 6,373

-26.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

$13.88 IQD 18.2K

-4.54%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$1.28 IQD 1,678

-34.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,314

$1.16 IQD 1,523

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 IQD 1,109

$1.01 IQD 1,323

-15.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.70 IQD 920

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 902

$0.68 IQD 895

1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 811

$0.63 IQD 831

-1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 880

$0.63 IQD 823

6.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 735

$0.66 IQD 867

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,460

$2.07 IQD 2,713

-9.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,309

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,812

$2.07 IQD 2,712

3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.74 IQD 964

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.33 IQD 41.0K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

10.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-42.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,994

$1.47 IQD 1,923

3.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 IQD 7,689

$7.61 IQD 9,964

-22.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

-3.39%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-0.85%

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

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

$179 IQD 234.3K

-57.43%

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

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

$25.76 IQD 33.7K

-31.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

$40.94 IQD 53.6K

-14.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

-11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 IQD 22.4K

$18.57 IQD 24.3K

-8.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,973

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

-0.65%

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

$152 IQD 199.5K

$168 IQD 220.3K

-9.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,254 IQD 4.3M

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

-7.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

-3.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 IQD 81.0K

$65.0 IQD 85.1K

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

-7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.7K

$557 IQD 729.9K

-56.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.1K

$324 IQD 424.8K

-44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 745.2K

$822 IQD 1.1M

-30.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.5K

$594 IQD 777.9K

-41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$990 IQD 1.3M

$3,867 IQD 5.1M

-74.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.5K

$1,428 IQD 1.9M

-64.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 IQD 814.4K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Al Kut versus $557 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 $25.00 in Al Kut versus $37.00 in Baghdad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $189 – 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: $719 in Al Kut, $1,074 in Baghdad – roughly 49% apart. Baghdad costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Al Kut and $1,611 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 27% 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 $25.00 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 $719, 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.