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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Baghdad vs $719 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Baghdad vs $1,124 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,088 per month in Baghdad vs $1,530 in Al Kut, rent included.

Baghdad costs about 49% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Baghdad and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Baghdad 20% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,892

$3.94 IQD 5,164

33.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 IQD 48.3K

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

47.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 IQD 9,777

$6.76 IQD 8,851

10.36%

Cappuccino

$3.01 IQD 3,939

$2.63 IQD 3,451

14.45%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.39 IQD 512

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 230

$0.21 IQD 281

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,596

$2.93 IQD 3,843

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,706

$2.94 IQD 3,847

-3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,784

$1.33 IQD 1,737

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,042

$0.84 IQD 1,095

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,102

$1.49 IQD 1,956

8.05%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,247

$1.59 IQD 2,080

8.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,759

$4.56 IQD 5,977

-3.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 IQD 6,373

$3.58 IQD 4,689

36.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 IQD 18.2K

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,678

$0.84 IQD 1,102

52.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,523

$1.00 IQD 1,314

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$0.85 IQD 1,109

18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.75 IQD 984

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$0.69 IQD 902

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 831

$0.62 IQD 811

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 823

$0.67 IQD 880

-5.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 867

$0.56 IQD 735

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,713

$1.88 IQD 2,460

10.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,413

$1.76 IQD 2,309

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,712

$2.15 IQD 2,812

-3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 964

$0.37 IQD 480

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$31.33 IQD 41.0K

-9.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,113

$2.24 IQD 2,932

74.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$1.52 IQD 1,994

-3.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 IQD 9,964

$5.87 IQD 7,689

29.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

3.51%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

0.86%

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

$179 IQD 234.3K

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

134.89%

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

$25.76 IQD 33.7K

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

45.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 IQD 53.6K

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

12.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.57 IQD 24.3K

$17.06 IQD 22.4K

8.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$7.61 IQD 9,973

0.66%

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

$168 IQD 220.3K

$152 IQD 199.5K

10.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

$3,254 IQD 4.3M

8.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

3.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

23.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 IQD 85.1K

$61.9 IQD 81.0K

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 IQD 729.9K

$241 IQD 315.7K

131.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 IQD 424.8K

$179 IQD 234.1K

81.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 IQD 1.1M

$569 IQD 745.2K

44.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 IQD 777.9K

$346 IQD 452.5K

71.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,867 IQD 5.1M

$990 IQD 1.3M

290.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,428 IQD 1.9M

$509 IQD 666.5K

180.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 IQD 814.4K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $557 in Baghdad versus $241 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Baghdad versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $149 – making Al Kut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,074 in Baghdad, $719 in Al Kut – roughly 49% apart. Baghdad costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,611 per month in Baghdad and $1,078 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Baghdad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Baghdad and $25.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Baghdad at $1,074. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baghdad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kut – 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 Al Kut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baghdad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.