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 $734 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Baghdad vs $1,139 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,073 per month in Baghdad vs $1,544 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 20% lower, Al Kut 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 IQD 6,895

$3.99 IQD 5,220

32.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

$24.40 IQD 32.0K

51.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$7.00 IQD 9,169

11.14%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,909

$2.63 IQD 3,448

13.31%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.37 IQD 484

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.20 IQD 259

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,429

$2.93 IQD 3,838

15.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,785

$2.93 IQD 3,831

-1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,702

$1.37 IQD 1,800

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,087

$0.78 IQD 1,025

6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,181

$1.56 IQD 2,038

7.05%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,343

$1.58 IQD 2,071

13.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,918

$4.38 IQD 5,733

3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 IQD 6,342

$3.48 IQD 4,561

39.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

8.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,680

$0.86 IQD 1,133

48.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,504

$1.00 IQD 1,309

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$0.87 IQD 1,136

19.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 914

$0.69 IQD 898

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 897

$0.64 IQD 838

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 813

$0.64 IQD 835

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 883

$0.62 IQD 818

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.53 IQD 693

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$1.86 IQD 2,432

14.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,348

$1.83 IQD 2,403

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,812

$2.08 IQD 2,726

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 IQD 993

$0.36 IQD 473

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

$31.30 IQD 41.0K

-10.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 IQD 4,954

$2.36 IQD 3,093

60.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,999

$1.53 IQD 2,000

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 IQD 9,868

$6.08 IQD 7,963

24.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 750

$0.54 IQD 704

5.56%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

2.45%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

2.19%

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

$181 IQD 236.7K

$75.8 IQD 99.2K

138.62%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

44.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

16.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

12.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

12.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.53 IQD 9,859

3.72%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$150 IQD 196.5K

10.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

$3,222 IQD 4.2M

9.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

$26.59 IQD 34.8K

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

17.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$41.02 IQD 53.7K

6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 IQD 724.7K

$246 IQD 321.5K

125.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 IQD 418.5K

$179 IQD 234.8K

78.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$576 IQD 753.7K

42.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.6K

$344 IQD 450.2K

69.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

$996 IQD 1.3M

303.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

$497 IQD 650.9K

224.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 IQD 848.7K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $553 in Baghdad versus $246 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 $24.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $146 – 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, $734 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 $1,610 per month in Baghdad and $1,101 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 30% 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 $24.00 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 $734, 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.