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: $662 in Ba'qubah versus $1,054 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $993 in Ba'qubah versus $1,592 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,324 in Ba'qubah versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 37% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 51% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 IQD 6,585

$5.48 IQD 7,181

-8.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.28 IQD 20.0K

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

-58.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 IQD 8,468

$7.57 IQD 9,909

-14.53%

Cappuccino

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$3.06 IQD 4,003

-62.75%

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

$0.48 IQD 631

$0.40 IQD 518

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 258

$0.18 IQD 242

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$3.42 IQD 4,485

-42.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$1.32 IQD 1,726

-11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 IQD 720

$0.78 IQD 1,017

-29.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-30.91%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$1.79 IQD 2,350

-17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.37 IQD 3,102

$4.40 IQD 5,763

-46.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 IQD 3,294

$5.07 IQD 6,636

-50.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 IQD 14.3K

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-23.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,230

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,548

$1.17 IQD 1,530

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,309

$1.01 IQD 1,329

-0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 775

$0.70 IQD 922

-15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 765

$0.70 IQD 911

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$0.64 IQD 835

1.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 IQD 602

$0.63 IQD 822

-26.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 253

$0.66 IQD 871

-71.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,433

$2.11 IQD 2,765

24.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 IQD 16.4K

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

-6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,886

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$2.15 IQD 2,815

-8.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.78 IQD 1,027

-52.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.35 IQD 41.1K

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

9.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$3.88 IQD 5,087

-41.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 IQD 2,660

$1.47 IQD 1,923

38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 IQD 6,890

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-32.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 427

$0.56 IQD 737

-41.07%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-5.95%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

4.98%

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

$58.6 IQD 76.7K

$181 IQD 237.4K

-67.68%

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

$17.68 IQD 23.2K

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

-30.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

-32.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-52.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

-9.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 IQD 5,092

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-50.26%

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

$27.20 IQD 35.6K

$163 IQD 213.2K

-83.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$650 IQD 851.7K

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

-81.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.27 IQD 25.2K

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

-32.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.91 IQD 24.8K

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

-38.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 IQD 107.5K

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

29.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.5K

$540 IQD 707.6K

-55.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.5K

$321 IQD 420.5K

-44.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 757.6K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-29.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.8K

$580 IQD 759.9K

-41.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$766 IQD 1.0M

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

-81.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$192 IQD 251.2K

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

-88.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$711 IQD 930.6K

$642 IQD 841.2K

10.63%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Ba'qubah and $540 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 11% 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 $142 vs $191 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 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ba'qubah pays 11% more on average, 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: $241 in Ba'qubah versus $540 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% 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 $662 in Ba'qubah versus $1,054 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 59% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.