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: $579 in Ba'qubah versus $1,124 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $745 in Ba'qubah versus $1,692 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $910 in Ba'qubah versus $2,259 in Baghdad.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 48% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 58% lower, Baghdad 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 IQD 6,358

$4.74 IQD 6,209

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

$33.69 IQD 44.1K

-54.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 IQD 8,565

$7.75 IQD 10.1K

-15.61%

Cappuccino

$1.12 IQD 1,463

$3.07 IQD 4,024

-63.52%

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

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.40 IQD 521

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 248

$0.24 IQD 313

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$3.87 IQD 5,071

-49.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 IQD 5,858

$3.75 IQD 4,911

19.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.09 IQD 1,423

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 IQD 718

$0.80 IQD 1,042

-31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,471

$1.51 IQD 1,982

-25.83%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,955

$1.82 IQD 2,386

-18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.26 IQD 2,956

$3.90 IQD 5,106

-42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 IQD 3,327

$4.70 IQD 6,149

-45.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 IQD 13.8K

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-26.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,301

$1.12 IQD 1,465

-11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,493

$1.06 IQD 1,389

7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 IQD 1,224

$1.07 IQD 1,400

-13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 780

$0.74 IQD 967

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.66 IQD 860

-10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 851

$0.70 IQD 915

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 IQD 654

$0.62 IQD 813

-19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 248

$0.65 IQD 845

-70.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 IQD 3,313

$1.78 IQD 2,333

42.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 IQD 16.3K

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 IQD 2,237

$2.14 IQD 2,798

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,800

$2.27 IQD 2,971

-5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,021

$0.64 IQD 838

21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$2.25 IQD 2,941

-13.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 IQD 2,270

$1.48 IQD 1,944

16.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 IQD 6,959

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-31.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 464

$0.67 IQD 877

-47.76%

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

$18.2K IQD 23.9M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-5.97%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

6.45%

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

$59.4 IQD 77.7K

$214 IQD 280.5K

-72.29%

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

$13.91 IQD 18.2K

$21.41 IQD 28.0K

-35.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 IQD 35.2K

$42.10 IQD 55.1K

-36.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.12 IQD 25.0K

$47.30 IQD 61.9K

-59.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.04 IQD 28.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 IQD 5,094

$10.76 IQD 14.1K

-63.85%

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

$26.53 IQD 34.7K

$165 IQD 215.5K

-83.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$639 IQD 836.3K

$3,445 IQD 4.5M

-81.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

$29.79 IQD 39.0K

-35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 IQD 25.2K

$38.31 IQD 50.2K

-49.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$74.4 IQD 97.5K

-8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.02 IQD 35.4K

$47.59 IQD 62.3K

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 IQD 351.9K

$566 IQD 741.8K

-52.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 IQD 176.4K

$346 IQD 453.5K

-61.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 IQD 653.3K

$959 IQD 1.3M

-47.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 IQD 889.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$768 IQD 1.0M

$4,665 IQD 6.1M

-83.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$189 IQD 247.5K

$1,599 IQD 2.1M

-88.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$711 IQD 931.4K

$615 IQD 805.6K

15.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

4.12

-38.59%

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

Last update for Ba'qubah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Ba'qubah and $566 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 $34.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $142 vs $186 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 94% 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: $269 in Ba'qubah versus $566 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $26.53 in Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $34.00 in Baghdad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $579 in Ba'qubah versus $1,124 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 94% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.