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: $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,055 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,338 in Al-musayyib versus $1,565 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,789 in Al-musayyib versus $2,074 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 16% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 33% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 IQD 7,189

$5.50 IQD 7,206

-0.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 IQD 9,792

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-2.86%

Cappuccino

$2.99 IQD 3,911

$2.98 IQD 3,903

0.34%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.36 IQD 477

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 244

$0.17 IQD 219

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 IQD 4,488

$3.51 IQD 4,590

-2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,683

$2.93 IQD 3,839

-4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 IQD 1,538

$1.35 IQD 1,768

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,104

$0.78 IQD 1,023

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,975

$1.59 IQD 2,076

-5.03%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.79 IQD 2,338

-16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,947

$4.58 IQD 5,999

-0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 IQD 4,897

$4.81 IQD 6,296

-22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

-20.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,543

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.21 IQD 1,590

-6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,326

$1.00 IQD 1,311

1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.74 IQD 970

-21.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 773

$0.65 IQD 854

-9.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.67 IQD 881

-11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 712

$0.62 IQD 817

-12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.66 IQD 861

-43.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,685

$2.05 IQD 2,690

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.79 IQD 2,346

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,721

$2.15 IQD 2,821

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.75 IQD 976

-50.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

12.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,122

$3.93 IQD 5,147

-0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,996

$1.47 IQD 1,922

3.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 IQD 9,960

$7.50 IQD 9,826

1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 755

$0.56 IQD 740

3.57%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

1.34%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

0.30%

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

$180 IQD 235.5K

$176 IQD 230.7K

2.07%

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

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

-0.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

-13.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

-10.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 IQD 9,992

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-1.80%

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

$167 IQD 218.1K

$168 IQD 220.3K

-1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

-1.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

1.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

-2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.4K

$554 IQD 725.1K

-56.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$321 IQD 419.7K

-43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.9K

$839 IQD 1.1M

-30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 IQD 448.0K

$583 IQD 764.1K

-41.37%

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)

$612 IQD 800.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-musayyib and $554 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al-musayyib vs $36.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 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 19% in total monthly costs ($887 vs $1,055 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,330 in Al-musayyib and $1,582 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: $241 in Al-musayyib versus $554 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Al-musayyib 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 13% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,055 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 19% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.