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: $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,124 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Al-musayyib versus $1,692 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Al-musayyib versus $2,259 in Baghdad.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 38% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 49% lower, Baghdad 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 IQD 6,091

$4.74 IQD 6,209

-1.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$33.69 IQD 44.1K

2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$7.75 IQD 10.1K

-0.65%

Cappuccino

$3.18 IQD 4,163

$3.07 IQD 4,024

3.58%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.40 IQD 521

-2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.24 IQD 313

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 IQD 5,105

$3.87 IQD 5,071

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,021

$3.75 IQD 4,911

2.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.09 IQD 1,423

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,014

$0.80 IQD 1,042

-3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 1,985

$1.51 IQD 1,982

0.66%

Eggs

$1.56 IQD 2,047

$1.82 IQD 2,386

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,068

$3.90 IQD 5,106

-0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 IQD 5,016

$4.70 IQD 6,149

-18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-21.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$1.12 IQD 1,465

1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,396

$1.06 IQD 1,389

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,376

$1.07 IQD 1,400

-1.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.74 IQD 967

-27.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$0.66 IQD 860

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 768

$0.70 IQD 915

-15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.62 IQD 813

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.65 IQD 845

-44.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 IQD 2,386

$1.78 IQD 2,333

2.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 IQD 2,935

$2.14 IQD 2,798

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 IQD 2,997

$2.27 IQD 2,971

0.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 IQD 838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$2.25 IQD 2,941

0.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$1.48 IQD 1,944

0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 IQD 823

$0.67 IQD 877

-5.97%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-1.87%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

0.19%

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

$212 IQD 277.1K

$214 IQD 280.5K

-1.22%

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

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

$21.41 IQD 28.0K

-2.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

$42.10 IQD 55.1K

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.30 IQD 61.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.04 IQD 28.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

$10.76 IQD 14.1K

-0.74%

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

$170 IQD 222.6K

$165 IQD 215.5K

3.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

$3,445 IQD 4.5M

2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

$29.79 IQD 39.0K

-0.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

$38.31 IQD 50.2K

-1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

$74.4 IQD 97.5K

-2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

$47.59 IQD 62.3K

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 IQD 741.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 IQD 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 IQD 889.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,665 IQD 6.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,599 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 IQD 805.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Al-musayyib vs $34.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $186, with Al-musayyib cheaper for home cooking.

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 60% in total monthly costs ($703 vs $1,124 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,054 in Al-musayyib and $1,687 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.

Childcare runs $170 in Al-musayyib versus $165 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $34.00 in Baghdad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,124 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 60% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.