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: $1,046 in Baghdad versus $893 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,591 in Baghdad versus $1,334 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,137 in Baghdad versus $1,774 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 17% more expensive than Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 22% lower, Al-musayyib 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 IQD 7,203

$5.24 IQD 6,867

4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.73 IQD 48.1K

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 IQD 9,932

$7.55 IQD 9,883

0.53%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,077

$3.00 IQD 3,928

3.67%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.37 IQD 483

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 212

$0.21 IQD 270

-23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,556

$3.45 IQD 4,520

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.86 IQD 3,742

2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,778

$1.13 IQD 1,479

20.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,081

$0.84 IQD 1,096

-1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,101

$1.57 IQD 2,059

1.91%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,333

$1.50 IQD 1,967

18.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 IQD 5,871

$4.39 IQD 5,742

2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 IQD 6,539

$3.94 IQD 5,163

26.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 IQD 18.2K

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,654

$1.12 IQD 1,469

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,582

$1.13 IQD 1,477

7.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.00 IQD 1,313

5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.56 IQD 731

32.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 846

$0.59 IQD 777

10.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.54 IQD 709

24.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 882

$0.55 IQD 716

21.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 870

$0.37 IQD 481

78.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 IQD 2,806

$2.07 IQD 2,710

3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,410

$1.76 IQD 2,302

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,718

$2.16 IQD 2,826

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 IQD 978

$0.40 IQD 519

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.79 IQD 36.4K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-11.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 IQD 5,095

$3.76 IQD 4,918

3.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,933

$1.54 IQD 2,012

-3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$7.47 IQD 9,779

4.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 IQD 686

$0.57 IQD 746

-8.77%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

2.91%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

2.74%

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

$175 IQD 229.8K

$179 IQD 234.4K

-1.99%

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

$26.25 IQD 34.4K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 IQD 52.1K

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

-0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.63 IQD 54.5K

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

13.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 IQD 24.4K

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

9.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

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

$167 IQD 218.5K

$166 IQD 217.5K

0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.85 IQD 37.8K

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 IQD 86.0K

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.80 IQD 57.3K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 IQD 727.0K

$244 IQD 319.5K

127.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 IQD 425.5K

$178 IQD 232.6K

82.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 IQD 1.1M

$585 IQD 765.6K

43.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 IQD 774.1K

$339 IQD 444.0K

74.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,872 IQD 5.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 IQD 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$627 IQD 820.4K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Baghdad and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Baghdad vs $37 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $893 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,570 in Baghdad and $1,340 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: $555 in Baghdad versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Baghdad versus $166 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $893 in Al-musayyib versus $1,046 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 17% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.