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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Baghdad versus $887 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,565 in Baghdad versus $1,338 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Baghdad versus $1,789 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 19% more expensive than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 IQD 7,206

$5.49 IQD 7,189

0.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$7.48 IQD 9,792

2.94%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$2.99 IQD 3,911

-0.33%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.37 IQD 483

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 219

$0.19 IQD 244

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,590

$3.43 IQD 4,488

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,839

$2.81 IQD 3,683

4.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,768

$1.17 IQD 1,538

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,023

$0.84 IQD 1,104

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,076

$1.51 IQD 1,975

5.30%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$1.49 IQD 1,956

20.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,999

$4.54 IQD 5,947

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,296

$3.74 IQD 4,897

28.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

25.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$1.18 IQD 1,543

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,590

$1.13 IQD 1,479

7.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,311

$1.01 IQD 1,326

-0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.58 IQD 764

27.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.59 IQD 773

10.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 881

$0.59 IQD 771

13.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.54 IQD 712

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.37 IQD 481

78.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,690

$2.05 IQD 2,685

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,346

$1.76 IQD 2,301

1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,821

$2.08 IQD 2,721

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.37 IQD 479

102.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

-11.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,147

$3.91 IQD 5,122

0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,922

$1.52 IQD 1,996

-3.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 IQD 9,826

$7.61 IQD 9,960

-1.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 740

$0.58 IQD 755

-3.45%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

-1.33%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-0.30%

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

$176 IQD 230.7K

$180 IQD 235.5K

-2.03%

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

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

0.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

11.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$7.63 IQD 9,992

1.83%

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

$168 IQD 220.3K

$167 IQD 218.1K

1.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

-1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 IQD 725.1K

$241 IQD 315.4K

129.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 419.7K

$180 IQD 236.1K

77.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 IQD 1.1M

$583 IQD 763.9K

43.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 764.1K

$342 IQD 448.0K

70.56%

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-musayyib: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Baghdad and $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Baghdad vs $36.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $168, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad and Al-musayyib differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $887 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,582 in Baghdad and $1,330 in Al-musayyib 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 $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $168 in Baghdad versus $167 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Al-musayyib versus $1,055 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.