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: $720 in Al-mawsil versus $1,055 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,071 in Al-mawsil versus $1,565 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,422 in Al-mawsil versus $2,074 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 46% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.88 IQD 10.3K

$5.50 IQD 7,206

43.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.14 IQD 15.9K

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

-66.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 IQD 7,296

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-27.66%

Cappuccino

$0.80 IQD 1,051

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-73.15%

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

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.36 IQD 477

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 214

$0.17 IQD 219

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 IQD 1,301

$3.51 IQD 4,590

-71.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 IQD 2,030

$2.93 IQD 3,839

-47.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 IQD 1,172

$1.35 IQD 1,768

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.78 IQD 1,023

-2.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,383

$1.59 IQD 2,076

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.79 IQD 2,338

8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 IQD 9,791

$4.58 IQD 5,999

63.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 IQD 4,232

$4.81 IQD 6,296

-32.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,070

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

-50.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-31.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,139

$1.21 IQD 1,590

-28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,015

$1.00 IQD 1,311

-23.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.74 IQD 970

-47.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 505

$0.65 IQD 854

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.67 IQD 881

-37.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 677

$0.62 IQD 817

-16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 650

$0.66 IQD 861

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 2,622

$2.05 IQD 2,690

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 IQD 16.3K

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

-7.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,867

$1.79 IQD 2,346

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$2.15 IQD 2,821

-8.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.75 IQD 976

-52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

11.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 IQD 2,866

$3.93 IQD 5,147

-44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 IQD 2,604

$1.47 IQD 1,922

35.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 IQD 4,303

$7.50 IQD 9,826

-56.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 IQD 425

$0.56 IQD 740

-42.86%

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

$15.5K IQD 20.2M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

-21.42%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

-10.46%

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

$102 IQD 134.0K

$176 IQD 230.7K

-41.91%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

-30.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 IQD 35.2K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.79 IQD 31.2K

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

-43.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 IQD 24.5K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 IQD 14.6K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

43.50%

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

$196 IQD 257.2K

$168 IQD 220.3K

16.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$696 IQD 911.7K

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

-80.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.02 IQD 18.4K

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

-49.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.43 IQD 22.8K

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

-42.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 IQD 108.8K

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

27.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.33 IQD 25.3K

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

-55.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.5K

$554 IQD 725.1K

-56.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$321 IQD 419.7K

-43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.6K

$839 IQD 1.1M

-29.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.1K

$583 IQD 764.1K

-41.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 IQD 786.5K

$612 IQD 800.9K

-1.79%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Al-mawsil and $554 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 2% 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 $36.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $190 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, salaries run 2% 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: $243 in Al-mawsil versus $554 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 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 28% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $720 in Al-mawsil versus $1,055 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.