Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Al-miqdadiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Al-miqdadiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $896 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $1,348 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,800 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 18% more expensive than Al-miqdadiyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Al-miqdadiyah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$7.55 IQD 9,882

-27.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$23.17 IQD 30.3K

59.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$9.02 IQD 11.8K

-16.08%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$3.25 IQD 4,259

-5.85%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.49 IQD 636

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.20 IQD 262

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$1.95 IQD 2,551

75.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.06 IQD 2,701

42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$1.32 IQD 1,730

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$0.87 IQD 1,135

-10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$1.88 IQD 2,466

-4.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$7.48 IQD 9,795

-41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,637

$4.61 IQD 6,032

9.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$14.03 IQD 18.4K

2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$1.19 IQD 1,553

3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.19 IQD 1,556

-1.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$1.19 IQD 1,554

-15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.80 IQD 1,052

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.71 IQD 929

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.69 IQD 909

-7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.72 IQD 939

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.53 IQD 690

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$2.72 IQD 3,568

-22.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$12.30 IQD 16.1K

8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.43 IQD 1,867

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$2.03 IQD 2,655

5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.36 IQD 475

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$31.57 IQD 41.3K

-9.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$2.25 IQD 2,952

72.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$2.26 IQD 2,959

-34.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$6.93 IQD 9,081

13.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.68 IQD 891

-17.65%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

5.31%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

-2.89%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$102 IQD 134.1K

77.03%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

43.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$29.34 IQD 38.4K

36.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$37.27 IQD 48.8K

10.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

10.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

-31.58%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$264 IQD 345.2K

-38.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$3,234 IQD 4.2M

10.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

-12.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

-38.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

-22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

-42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$241 IQD 315.8K

124.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$180 IQD 235.3K

78.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$591 IQD 773.7K

38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$344 IQD 451.1K

68.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 IQD 841.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-miqdadiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $241 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $23.00 in Al-miqdadiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $194, with Baghdad cheaper for home cooking.

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-miqdadiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad and Al-miqdadiyah differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,054 vs $896 including rent). Al-miqdadiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,581 in Baghdad and $1,344 in Al-miqdadiyah 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: $540 in Baghdad versus $241 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Baghdad versus $264 in Al-miqdadiyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Baghdad pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $896 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,054 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-miqdadiyah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Al-miqdadiyah 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-miqdadiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.