Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Ba'qubah versus $1,066 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Ba'qubah versus $1,598 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,338 in Ba'qubah versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 40% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 52% lower, Baghdad 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 IQD 6,639

$5.30 IQD 6,947

-4.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

-58.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 IQD 8,711

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-14.52%

Cappuccino

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$3.11 IQD 4,074

-62.38%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$0.40 IQD 522

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 258

$0.18 IQD 233

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,552

$3.49 IQD 4,576

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,764

$2.82 IQD 3,686

-25.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,465

$1.31 IQD 1,722

-14.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 IQD 782

$0.84 IQD 1,100

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,523

$1.64 IQD 2,152

-29.27%

Eggs

$1.46 IQD 1,918

$1.81 IQD 2,364

-19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.28 IQD 2,984

$4.52 IQD 5,923

-49.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.47 IQD 3,241

$4.86 IQD 6,364

-49.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

-25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,300

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-19.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.16 IQD 1,519

0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 IQD 1,211

$1.04 IQD 1,366

-10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.75 IQD 984

-22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.64 IQD 843

-7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.67 IQD 873

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 IQD 659

$0.63 IQD 828

-20.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 232

$0.66 IQD 858

-72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 IQD 3,464

$2.07 IQD 2,707

28.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.26 IQD 16.1K

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

-8.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$2.11 IQD 2,762

-8.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.74 IQD 965

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 IQD 39.9K

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

9.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,952

$3.72 IQD 4,870

-39.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 IQD 2,801

$1.55 IQD 2,026

38.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 IQD 6,951

$7.49 IQD 9,803

-29.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 426

$0.53 IQD 700

-37.74%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-2.74%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-0.56%

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

$58.2 IQD 76.2K

$175 IQD 229.3K

-66.75%

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

$17.75 IQD 23.2K

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

-32.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.19 IQD 35.6K

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

-32.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.92 IQD 24.8K

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

-55.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

-8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 IQD 5,073

$7.49 IQD 9,813

-48.33%

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

$27.04 IQD 35.4K

$166 IQD 217.8K

-83.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$636 IQD 832.7K

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

-81.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

-30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 IQD 25.2K

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

-36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 IQD 106.4K

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

27.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.50 IQD 34.7K

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

-38.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.7K

$548 IQD 717.9K

-55.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.4K

$323 IQD 422.7K

-43.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 752.4K

$834 IQD 1.1M

-31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.7K

$597 IQD 781.1K

-41.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 IQD 993.8K

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

-83.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$190 IQD 249.3K

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

-87.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 IQD 950.9K

$629 IQD 823.2K

15.51%

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 Ba'qubah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Ba'qubah and $548 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Ba'qubah vs $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $190 per month, with Ba'qubah 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

Ba'qubah vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Ba'qubah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Ba'qubah versus $548 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $37.00 in Baghdad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $642 in Ba'qubah versus $1,066 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.