Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Ad Diwaniyah

For one person, living is cheaper in Ad Diwaniyah: $559 a month against $1,048 in Baghdad, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Baghdad
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Baghdad Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Ad Diwaniyah
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Ad Diwaniyah Living Index

Jump to prices

Baghdad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,048

/mo nomad

Ad Diwaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$559

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baghdad and in Ad Diwaniyah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baghdad and in Ad Diwaniyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,048 per month in Baghdad vs $559 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Baghdad $1,048
Ad Diwaniyah $559

A couple spends around $1,508 per month in Baghdad vs $876 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Baghdad $1,508
Ad Diwaniyah $876

A family of three spends $1,968 per month in Baghdad vs $1,193 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Baghdad $1,968
Ad Diwaniyah $1,193

Baghdad costs about 88% more than Ad Diwaniyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Baghdad and Ad Diwaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Baghdad 23% lower, Ad Diwaniyah 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 IQD 6,866

$2.75 IQD 4,154

65.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 IQD 40.3K

$9.87 IQD 14.9K

169.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 IQD 9,781

$4.61 IQD 6,960

40.35%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 4,054

$1.62 IQD 2,442

65.43%

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

$0.39 IQD 584

$0.36 IQD 538

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

$0.22 IQD 333

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 IQD 5,009

$3.24 IQD 4,901

2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 IQD 4,866

$3.23 IQD 4,876

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,390

$0.95 IQD 1,440

-3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 IQD 1,078

$0.69 IQD 1,045

2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,999

$1.13 IQD 1,708

16.81%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,577

$1.69 IQD 2,552

1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,989

$3.40 IQD 5,142

-2.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 IQD 6,269

$3.38 IQD 5,112

22.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

$9.80 IQD 14.8K

24.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,513

$0.69 IQD 1,038

44.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,487

$0.65 IQD 980

50.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 IQD 1,440

$0.64 IQD 968

48.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,021

$0.68 IQD 1,027

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 877

$0.55 IQD 837

5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 854

$0.55 IQD 838

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 903

$0.32 IQD 483

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 IQD 927

$0.62 IQD 930

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,531

$1.69 IQD 2,560

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 IQD 17.6K

$3.24 IQD 4,903

259.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 IQD 3,005

$1.89 IQD 2,859

5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,962

$1.97 IQD 2,973

-0.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 IQD 480

$0.38 IQD 572

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.04 IQD 30.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 IQD 3,045

$2.04 IQD 3,076

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 IQD 1,964

$0.80 IQD 1,202

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 IQD 10.1K

$6.52 IQD 9,850

2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 870

$0.29 IQD 432

100.00%

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

$16.5K IQD 25.0M

$16.4K IQD 24.7M

1.10%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.2M

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

-0.17%

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

$188 IQD 284.5K

$33.29 IQD 50.3K

465.70%

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

$19.25 IQD 29.1K

$14.94 IQD 22.6K

28.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.51 IQD 56.7K

$33.23 IQD 50.2K

12.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 IQD 60.4K

$36.21 IQD 54.7K

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 IQD 27.8K

$6.76 IQD 10.2K

171.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 IQD 14.7K

$6.45 IQD 9,752

50.39%

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

$145 IQD 219.6K

$65.8 IQD 99.5K

120.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,297 IQD 5.0M

$3,258 IQD 4.9M

1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.60 IQD 38.7K

$25.65 IQD 38.8K

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.32 IQD 50.3K

$33.66 IQD 50.9K

-1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 IQD 90.9K

$58.6 IQD 88.5K

2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 63.2K

$42.15 IQD 63.7K

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 IQD 811.6K

$204 IQD 309.0K

162.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 IQD 550.5K

$140 IQD 210.8K

161.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 IQD 1.5M

$368 IQD 555.7K

161.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 IQD 943.1K

$316 IQD 478.1K

97.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,276 IQD 6.5M

$890 IQD 1.3M

380.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 IQD 2.1M

$498 IQD 752.9K

176.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 IQD 782.8K

$328 IQD 495.7K

57.92%

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 Baghdad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Ad Diwaniyah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baghdad

$364 34.8%

Ad Diwaniyah

$140 25% 61.7% $225

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baghdad

$245 23.4%

Ad Diwaniyah

$81 14.6% 66.8% $164

Groceries & Markets

Baghdad

$164 15.6%

Ad Diwaniyah

$129 23.1% 21.3% $35

Eating Out

Baghdad

$113 10.8%

Ad Diwaniyah

$80 14.4% 29.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Baghdad

$72 6.9%

Ad Diwaniyah

$72 12.9% 0.6% $0.4

Sport & Entertainment

Baghdad

$59 5.7%

Ad Diwaniyah

$49 8.8% 17.3% $10

Getting Around

Baghdad

$30 2.9%

Ad Diwaniyah

$7.5 * 1.4% 74.8% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $537 in Baghdad versus $204 in Ad Diwaniyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Baghdad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27 in Baghdad versus $10 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $129 – making Ad Diwaniyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Baghdad

🇮🇶 Ad Diwaniyah

🕒 Local time

08:26 8:26 AM

Same time as Baghdad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,216,040 Capital

650,927

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Baghdad Ad Diwaniyah 160 km

From you

Baghdad
Ad Diwaniyah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Baghdad vs Ad Diwaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baghdad is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,572 per month in Baghdad and $838 in Ad Diwaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ad Diwaniyah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $204 there versus $537 in Baghdad.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,048 in Baghdad and $559 in Ad Diwaniyah. That makes Ad Diwaniyah about 47% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $145 per month in Baghdad and $66 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ad Diwaniyah, where all-in costs run around $559, than in Baghdad at $1,048. In Ad Diwaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baghdad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ad Diwaniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ad Diwaniyah. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baghdad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.