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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,074 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Al-musayyib versus $1,573 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,834 in Al-musayyib versus $2,073 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 18% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 35% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,889

$5.27 IQD 6,895

-0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 IQD 9,828

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,077

$2.98 IQD 3,909

4.36%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.39 IQD 512

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 263

$0.17 IQD 216

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,518

$3.38 IQD 4,430

2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,856

$2.89 IQD 3,785

1.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$1.30 IQD 1,702

-12.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,093

$0.83 IQD 1,087

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,061

$1.67 IQD 2,181

-5.99%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.79 IQD 2,343

-12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,023

$4.52 IQD 5,918

1.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,071

$4.84 IQD 6,342

-20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.28 IQD 1,680

-10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,461

$1.15 IQD 1,504

-2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.04 IQD 1,363

0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.70 IQD 914

-17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.69 IQD 897

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.62 IQD 813

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 784

$0.67 IQD 883

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.63 IQD 824

-41.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,326

$1.79 IQD 2,348

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,747

$2.15 IQD 2,812

-2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.76 IQD 993

-48.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

10.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,103

$3.78 IQD 4,954

3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,933

$1.53 IQD 1,999

-3.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 IQD 9,907

$7.54 IQD 9,868

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 699

$0.57 IQD 750

-7.02%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-1.05%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-1.42%

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

$179 IQD 234.1K

$181 IQD 236.7K

-1.12%

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

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

-1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

-9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

-10.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,840

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-3.84%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$166 IQD 217.9K

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

$63.3 IQD 83.0K

0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.6K

$553 IQD 724.7K

-55.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 229.9K

$320 IQD 418.5K

-45.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 752.9K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.8K

$583 IQD 763.6K

-41.48%

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)

$648 IQD 848.7K

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-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $553 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-musayyib vs $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $190 per month, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-musayyib and Baghdad differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($878 vs $1,074 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,317 in Al-musayyib and $1,610 in Baghdad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $244 in Al-musayyib versus $553 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib 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 12% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,074 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.