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 $724 per month in Al Kut vs $1,055 in Baghdad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,142 per month in Al Kut vs $1,565 in Baghdad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,559 per month in Al Kut vs $2,074 in Baghdad, rent included.

Al Kut is about 31% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 IQD 5,320

$5.50 IQD 7,206

-26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.97 IQD 32.7K

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

-31.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 IQD 8,763

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-13.12%

Cappuccino

$2.59 IQD 3,394

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-13.09%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.36 IQD 477

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.17 IQD 219

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 IQD 3,891

$3.51 IQD 4,590

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 IQD 3,865

$2.93 IQD 3,839

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,727

$1.35 IQD 1,768

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,101

$0.78 IQD 1,023

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 IQD 1,942

$1.59 IQD 2,076

-6.92%

Eggs

$1.54 IQD 2,017

$1.79 IQD 2,338

-13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,042

$4.58 IQD 5,999

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 IQD 4,567

$4.81 IQD 6,296

-27.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

-5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,098

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-31.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,317

$1.21 IQD 1,590

-16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,069

$1.00 IQD 1,311

-18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 962

$0.74 IQD 970

-1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$0.65 IQD 854

1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 867

$0.67 IQD 881

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.62 IQD 817

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 689

$0.66 IQD 861

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,429

$2.05 IQD 2,690

-9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,344

$1.79 IQD 2,346

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,711

$2.15 IQD 2,821

-3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.75 IQD 976

-48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.59 IQD 41.4K

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

13.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 IQD 2,996

$3.93 IQD 5,147

-41.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,034

$1.47 IQD 1,922

5.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 IQD 8,067

$7.50 IQD 9,826

-17.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 756

$0.56 IQD 740

3.57%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

-2.68%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

1.39%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$176 IQD 230.7K

-56.86%

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

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

-30.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 IQD 44.9K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-16.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 IQD 48.8K

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

-11.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 IQD 22.2K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

-8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

1.29%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$168 IQD 220.3K

-8.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,292 IQD 4.3M

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

-9.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

-2.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

-16.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

-4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

-4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 IQD 323.6K

$554 IQD 725.1K

-55.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.5K

$321 IQD 419.7K

-45.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.5K

$839 IQD 1.1M

-31.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 442.8K

$583 IQD 764.1K

-42.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$981 IQD 1.3M

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

-79.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 IQD 650.5K

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

-68.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 IQD 800.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Al Kut versus $554 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 $36.00 in Baghdad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 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: $724 in Al Kut, $1,055 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 $1,086 per month in Al Kut and $1,582 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 29% 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 $36.00 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 $724, than in Baghdad at $1,055. 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.