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 $1,055 per month in Baghdad vs $724 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,565 per month in Baghdad vs $1,142 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,074 per month in Baghdad vs $1,559 in Al Kut, rent included.

Baghdad costs about 46% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Baghdad and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Baghdad 21% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 IQD 7,206

$4.06 IQD 5,320

35.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

$24.97 IQD 32.7K

45.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$6.69 IQD 8,763

15.10%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$2.59 IQD 3,394

15.06%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.37 IQD 480

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 219

$0.20 IQD 256

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,590

$2.97 IQD 3,891

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,839

$2.95 IQD 3,865

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,768

$1.32 IQD 1,727

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,023

$0.84 IQD 1,101

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,076

$1.48 IQD 1,942

7.43%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$1.54 IQD 2,017

16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,999

$4.61 IQD 6,042

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,296

$3.49 IQD 4,567

37.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$0.84 IQD 1,098

46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,590

$1.01 IQD 1,317

19.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,311

$0.82 IQD 1,069

21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.73 IQD 962

1.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.66 IQD 862

-1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 881

$0.66 IQD 867

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.63 IQD 824

-1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.53 IQD 689

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,690

$1.86 IQD 2,429

10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.79 IQD 2,344

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,821

$2.07 IQD 2,711

3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.39 IQD 511

92.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$31.59 IQD 41.4K

-11.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,147

$2.29 IQD 2,996

71.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,922

$1.55 IQD 2,034

-5.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 IQD 9,826

$6.16 IQD 8,067

21.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 740

$0.58 IQD 756

-3.45%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

2.76%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

-1.37%

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

$176 IQD 230.7K

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

131.80%

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

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

44.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$34.28 IQD 44.9K

20.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

$37.26 IQD 48.8K

13.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.97 IQD 22.2K

9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-1.27%

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

$168 IQD 220.3K

$155 IQD 202.4K

8.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

$3,292 IQD 4.3M

10.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

19.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 IQD 725.1K

$247 IQD 323.6K

124.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 419.7K

$176 IQD 230.5K

82.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 IQD 1.1M

$575 IQD 753.5K

45.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 764.1K

$338 IQD 442.8K

72.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

$981 IQD 1.3M

383.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

$497 IQD 650.5K

221.50%

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 Kut: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $554 in Baghdad versus $247 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 $36.00 in Baghdad versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $147 – 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: $1,055 in Baghdad, $724 in Al Kut – roughly 46% apart. Baghdad costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,582 per month in Baghdad and $1,086 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 29% 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 $36.00 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 $724, than in Baghdad at $1,055. 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.