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: $714 in Al-mawsil versus $1,074 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Al-mawsil versus $1,573 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,412 in Al-mawsil versus $2,073 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 34% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 47% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.48 IQD 9,795

$5.27 IQD 6,895

41.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.45 IQD 16.3K

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

-66.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 IQD 7,350

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-27.89%

Cappuccino

$0.74 IQD 965

$2.98 IQD 3,909

-75.17%

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

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.39 IQD 512

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 229

$0.17 IQD 216

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 IQD 1,288

$3.38 IQD 4,429

-71.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$2.89 IQD 3,785

-46.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,206

$1.30 IQD 1,702

-29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 959

$0.83 IQD 1,087

-12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,441

$1.67 IQD 2,181

-34.13%

Eggs

$1.90 IQD 2,482

$1.79 IQD 2,343

6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 IQD 9,476

$4.52 IQD 5,918

60.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 IQD 4,287

$4.84 IQD 6,342

-32.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 IQD 9,502

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-48.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,177

$1.28 IQD 1,680

-29.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$1.15 IQD 1,504

-24.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,049

$1.04 IQD 1,363

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.70 IQD 914

-48.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 498

$0.69 IQD 897

-44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 602

$0.62 IQD 813

-25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 685

$0.67 IQD 883

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 647

$0.63 IQD 824

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 IQD 2,642

$2.13 IQD 2,786

-5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-10.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,804

$1.79 IQD 2,348

-22.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,536

$2.15 IQD 2,812

-9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.76 IQD 993

-48.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

9.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 IQD 2,867

$3.78 IQD 4,954

-42.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 IQD 2,639

$1.53 IQD 1,999

32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 IQD 4,266

$7.54 IQD 9,868

-56.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 458

$0.57 IQD 750

-38.60%

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

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-23.47%

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

$17.6K IQD 23.0M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-13.54%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$181 IQD 236.7K

-43.36%

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

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

-30.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

-33.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.44 IQD 32.0K

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

-40.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

0.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 IQD 14.6K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

42.89%

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

$204 IQD 267.1K

$166 IQD 217.8K

22.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 IQD 891.8K

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

-80.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.92 IQD 18.2K

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

-50.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.64 IQD 23.1K

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

-41.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 IQD 109.5K

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

31.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.91 IQD 24.8K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

-56.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 IQD 320.9K

$553 IQD 724.7K

-55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$320 IQD 418.5K

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 752.2K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.1K

$583 IQD 763.6K

-40.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 IQD 813.8K

$648 IQD 848.7K

-4.11%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Al-mawsil and $553 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 4% 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 $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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Baghdad earns 4% 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: $245 in Al-mawsil versus $553 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $204 in Al-mawsil versus $166 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 $714 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 50% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.