Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,066 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,165 in Az Zubayr versus $1,598 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,584 in Az Zubayr versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 30% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 44% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,233

$5.30 IQD 6,947

-24.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 IQD 33.0K

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

-31.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 IQD 9,002

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-11.70%

Cappuccino

$2.66 IQD 3,484

$3.11 IQD 4,074

-14.47%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.40 IQD 522

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 279

$0.18 IQD 233

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 IQD 3,782

$3.49 IQD 4,576

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,798

$2.82 IQD 3,686

2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,798

$1.31 IQD 1,722

4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,109

$0.84 IQD 1,100

1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,169

$1.64 IQD 2,152

1.22%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,257

$1.81 IQD 2,364

-4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 IQD 6,064

$4.52 IQD 5,923

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 IQD 6,266

$4.86 IQD 6,364

-1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

-5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.16 IQD 1,519

-0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,315

$1.04 IQD 1,366

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.75 IQD 984

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 897

$0.64 IQD 843

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 832

$0.67 IQD 873

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.63 IQD 828

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 735

$0.66 IQD 858

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$2.07 IQD 2,707

-10.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,423

$1.80 IQD 2,354

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,734

$2.11 IQD 2,762

-0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.74 IQD 965

-47.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.63 IQD 41.4K

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

13.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,036

$3.72 IQD 4,870

-37.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,009

$1.55 IQD 2,026

-1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 IQD 8,076

$7.49 IQD 9,803

-17.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 748

$0.53 IQD 700

7.55%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-3.88%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-3.14%

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

$78.4 IQD 102.6K

$175 IQD 229.3K

-55.22%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

-32.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.27 IQD 44.9K

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

-15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 IQD 48.8K

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

-11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

-8.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$7.49 IQD 9,813

5.07%

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

$152 IQD 198.5K

$166 IQD 217.8K

-8.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,290 IQD 4.3M

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

-6.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

-3.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 IQD 33.1K

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

-15.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 IQD 80.0K

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

-4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 IQD 53.3K

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.0K

$548 IQD 717.9K

-55.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.6K

$323 IQD 422.7K

-45.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 766.2K

$834 IQD 1.1M

-29.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.0K

$597 IQD 781.1K

-42.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

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 Az Zubayr: July 12, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Az Zubayr and $548 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Az Zubayr vs $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $190 per month, with Az Zubayr 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

Az Zubayr vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Az Zubayr and Baghdad differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($746 vs $1,066 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,119 in Az Zubayr and $1,600 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: $242 in Az Zubayr versus $548 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $37.00 in Baghdad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,066 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.