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: $893 in Al-musayyib versus $1,046 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Al-musayyib versus $1,591 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,774 in Al-musayyib versus $2,137 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 15% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 34% lower, Baghdad 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 IQD 6,867

$5.50 IQD 7,203

-4.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

$36.73 IQD 48.1K

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$7.59 IQD 9,932

-0.53%

Cappuccino

$3.00 IQD 3,928

$3.11 IQD 4,077

-3.54%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.36 IQD 478

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 270

$0.16 IQD 212

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,520

$3.48 IQD 4,556

-0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,742

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.36 IQD 1,778

-16.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$0.83 IQD 1,081

1.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.60 IQD 2,101

-1.88%

Eggs

$1.50 IQD 1,967

$1.78 IQD 2,333

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,742

$4.48 IQD 5,871

-2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 IQD 5,163

$4.99 IQD 6,539

-21.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

$13.94 IQD 18.2K

-18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,469

$1.26 IQD 1,654

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,477

$1.21 IQD 1,582

-6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$1.05 IQD 1,370

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.74 IQD 965

-24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.65 IQD 846

-9.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.67 IQD 879

-19.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.67 IQD 882

-17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.66 IQD 870

-43.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$2.14 IQD 2,806

-3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,302

$1.84 IQD 2,410

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,826

$2.08 IQD 2,718

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.75 IQD 978

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

$27.79 IQD 36.4K

12.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 IQD 4,918

$3.89 IQD 5,095

-3.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,012

$1.48 IQD 1,933

4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 IQD 9,779

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-4.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 746

$0.52 IQD 686

9.62%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-2.83%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

-2.67%

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

$179 IQD 234.4K

$175 IQD 229.8K

2.03%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$26.25 IQD 34.4K

-2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

$39.78 IQD 52.1K

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

$41.63 IQD 54.5K

-11.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

$18.62 IQD 24.4K

-8.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

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

$166 IQD 217.5K

$167 IQD 218.5K

-0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

-1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

$28.85 IQD 37.8K

-2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

$65.7 IQD 86.0K

-2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$43.80 IQD 57.3K

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.5K

$555 IQD 727.0K

-56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.6K

$325 IQD 425.5K

-45.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.6K

$836 IQD 1.1M

-30.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.0K

$591 IQD 774.1K

-42.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,872 IQD 5.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 IQD 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$627 IQD 820.4K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $555 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Al-musayyib vs $37 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $192 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 17% in total monthly costs ($893 vs $1,046 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,340 in Al-musayyib and $1,570 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 $555 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib versus $167 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $893 in Al-musayyib versus $1,046 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 17% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.