Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,143 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $827 in Al-mawsil versus $1,702 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,038 in Al-mawsil versus $2,262 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 46% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 55% lower, Baghdad 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,891

$4.91 IQD 6,430

53.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

$34.26 IQD 44.9K

-63.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 IQD 7,344

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-28.44%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 981

$3.08 IQD 4,033

-75.65%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.39 IQD 514

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 252

$0.26 IQD 342

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 IQD 1,265

$3.78 IQD 4,956

-74.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$3.75 IQD 4,907

-59.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 IQD 1,015

$1.04 IQD 1,364

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 959

$0.83 IQD 1,090

-12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 815

$1.54 IQD 2,015

-59.74%

Eggs

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$1.89 IQD 2,479

-40.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

$3.77 IQD 4,937

111.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,551

$4.59 IQD 6,004

-24.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

$14.44 IQD 18.9K

-36.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 956

$1.13 IQD 1,480

-35.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 965

$1.06 IQD 1,390

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.03 IQD 1,345

-41.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 IQD 368

$0.74 IQD 968

-62.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 IQD 425

$0.69 IQD 906

-53.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.70 IQD 912

-47.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,028

$0.64 IQD 838

21.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.69 IQD 907

-14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,444

$1.78 IQD 2,336

5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

-10.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,210

$2.14 IQD 2,806

-21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,720

$2.27 IQD 2,977

-8.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.69 IQD 905

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

$23.15 IQD 30.3K

31.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 IQD 2,426

$2.23 IQD 2,918

-17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,382

$1.54 IQD 2,021

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 IQD 5,945

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

-40.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 430

$0.62 IQD 806

-46.77%

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

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-21.22%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

-8.02%

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

$109 IQD 142.3K

$213 IQD 279.2K

-49.03%

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

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

$21.75 IQD 28.5K

-35.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

$41.04 IQD 53.7K

-35.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

$47.75 IQD 62.5K

-51.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 IQD 9,736

$21.22 IQD 27.8K

-64.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

-26.87%

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

$306 IQD 401.0K

$169 IQD 221.7K

80.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$688 IQD 900.4K

$3,468 IQD 4.5M

-80.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

$30.14 IQD 39.5K

-36.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-59.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

$73.0 IQD 95.6K

-3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

$47.87 IQD 62.7K

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 148.3K

$568 IQD 743.5K

-80.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

$351 IQD 459.9K

-78.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 IQD 393.7K

$935 IQD 1.2M

-67.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 IQD 905.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,625 IQD 6.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,587 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 795.7K

$615 IQD 805.3K

-1.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

4.12

-38.59%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Al-mawsil and $568 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $34.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $187 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

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-mawsil vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Baghdad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $113 in Al-mawsil versus $568 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Al-mawsil versus $169 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,143 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.