Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Al Fallujah Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Al Fallujah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Baghdad versus $911 in Al Fallujah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,565 in Baghdad versus $1,376 in Al Fallujah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Baghdad versus $1,841 in Al Fallujah.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 16% more expensive than in Al Fallujah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Al Fallujah 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 IQD 7,206

$5.34 IQD 6,994

3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

$37.01 IQD 48.5K

-2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$7.63 IQD 9,985

0.92%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$3.08 IQD 4,033

-3.25%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.37 IQD 479

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 219

$0.19 IQD 251

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,590

$3.41 IQD 4,463

2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,839

$2.83 IQD 3,708

3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,768

$1.32 IQD 1,728

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,023

$0.83 IQD 1,084

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,076

$1.65 IQD 2,157

-3.64%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$1.81 IQD 2,370

-1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,999

$4.47 IQD 5,857

2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,296

$4.89 IQD 6,401

-1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

$14.00 IQD 18.3K

0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$1.23 IQD 1,613

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,590

$1.17 IQD 1,529

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,311

$1.02 IQD 1,335

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.71 IQD 925

4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.66 IQD 860

-1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 881

$0.68 IQD 888

-1.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.62 IQD 812

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.65 IQD 856

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,690

$2.06 IQD 2,694

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

$13.73 IQD 18.0K

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.76 IQD 2,305

1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,821

$2.16 IQD 2,832

-0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.37 IQD 482

102.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

-10.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,147

$3.85 IQD 5,045

2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,922

$1.53 IQD 2,005

-3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 IQD 9,826

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 740

$0.56 IQD 738

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

-2.27%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

0.44%

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

$176 IQD 230.7K

$177 IQD 231.2K

-0.23%

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

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

$26.39 IQD 34.6K

-2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$40.47 IQD 53.0K

2.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

$36.23 IQD 47.4K

16.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

12.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$7.57 IQD 9,914

2.64%

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

$168 IQD 220.3K

$164 IQD 214.8K

2.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

$3,603 IQD 4.7M

0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

-0.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

-2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

$65.2 IQD 85.4K

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

$44.12 IQD 57.8K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 IQD 725.1K

$245 IQD 320.6K

126.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 419.7K

$177 IQD 232.4K

80.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 IQD 1.1M

$587 IQD 769.2K

42.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 764.1K

$341 IQD 446.3K

71.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 IQD 800.9K

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 Baghdad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Fallujah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Baghdad and $245 in Al Fallujah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Baghdad vs $37.00 in Al Fallujah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $190 per month, with Baghdad 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

Baghdad vs Al Fallujah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fallujah wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Fallujah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,582 in Baghdad and $1,367 in Al Fallujah 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: $554 in Baghdad versus $245 in Al Fallujah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $168 in Baghdad versus $164 in Al Fallujah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Baghdad pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $911 in Al Fallujah versus $1,055 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Fallujah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Al Fallujah 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 Al Fallujah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.