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: $735 in Al-mawsil versus $1,074 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Al-mawsil versus $1,581 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,460 in Al-mawsil versus $2,088 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 32% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 45% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.50 IQD 9,823

$5.26 IQD 6,892

42.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$36.91 IQD 48.3K

-66.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 IQD 7,400

$7.46 IQD 9,777

-24.26%

Cappuccino

$0.73 IQD 958

$3.01 IQD 3,939

-75.75%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.36 IQD 477

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 235

$0.18 IQD 230

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 IQD 1,241

$3.51 IQD 4,596

-72.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,986

$2.83 IQD 3,706

-46.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 IQD 1,177

$1.36 IQD 1,784

-33.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 988

$0.80 IQD 1,042

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,390

$1.61 IQD 2,102

-34.16%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,521

$1.72 IQD 2,247

11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 IQD 9,581

$4.40 IQD 5,759

66.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,326

$4.87 IQD 6,373

-32.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 IQD 9,120

$13.88 IQD 18.2K

-49.86%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,185

$1.28 IQD 1,678

-29.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,173

$1.16 IQD 1,523

-22.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,054

$1.01 IQD 1,323

-20.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.70 IQD 920

-44.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 501

$0.68 IQD 895

-44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 596

$0.63 IQD 831

-26.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 IQD 625

$0.63 IQD 823

-23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.66 IQD 867

-25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,582

$2.07 IQD 2,713

-4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 IQD 16.2K

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,873

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-22.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,531

$2.07 IQD 2,712

-6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.74 IQD 964

-51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

10.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 IQD 2,759

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-45.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$1.47 IQD 1,923

40.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 IQD 4,264

$7.61 IQD 9,964

-57.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 429

$0.53 IQD 700

-37.74%

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

$15.0K IQD 19.7M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

-24.30%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-10.11%

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

$100 IQD 131.3K

$179 IQD 234.3K

-43.97%

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

$17.45 IQD 22.9K

$25.76 IQD 33.7K

-32.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

$40.94 IQD 53.6K

-34.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.52 IQD 30.8K

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

-43.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 IQD 24.4K

$18.57 IQD 24.3K

0.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 IQD 14.6K

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

45.82%

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

$200 IQD 261.6K

$168 IQD 220.3K

18.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$699 IQD 916.0K

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

-80.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.26 IQD 18.7K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

-49.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.36 IQD 22.7K

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-43.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 IQD 109.6K

$65.0 IQD 85.1K

28.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.20 IQD 25.1K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

-56.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.3K

$557 IQD 729.9K

-56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.0K

$324 IQD 424.8K

-45.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.6K

$822 IQD 1.1M

-28.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.6K

$594 IQD 777.9K

-41.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,987 IQD 2.6M

$3,867 IQD 5.1M

-48.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,490 IQD 2.0M

$1,428 IQD 1.9M

4.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 IQD 788.8K

$622 IQD 814.4K

-3.14%

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-mawsil: April 26, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Al-mawsil and $557 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 3% 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 $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $189 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Baghdad earns 3% less. 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: $242 in Al-mawsil versus $557 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Al-mawsil versus $168 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $735 in Al-mawsil versus $1,074 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 46% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.