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: $1,074 in Baghdad versus $878 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Baghdad versus $1,356 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,073 in Baghdad versus $1,834 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 22% more expensive than Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Al-musayyib 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 IQD 6,895

$5.26 IQD 6,889

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$7.51 IQD 9,828

3.60%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,909

$3.11 IQD 4,077

-4.18%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.36 IQD 475

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.20 IQD 263

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,430

$3.45 IQD 4,518

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,785

$2.94 IQD 3,856

-1.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,702

$1.14 IQD 1,490

14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,087

$0.83 IQD 1,093

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,181

$1.57 IQD 2,061

6.37%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,343

$1.57 IQD 2,059

14.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,918

$4.60 IQD 6,023

-1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 IQD 6,342

$3.87 IQD 5,071

25.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,680

$1.14 IQD 1,486

12.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,504

$1.12 IQD 1,461

2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.05 IQD 1,370

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 914

$0.58 IQD 760

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 897

$0.64 IQD 838

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 813

$0.59 IQD 769

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 883

$0.60 IQD 784

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.37 IQD 480

70.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,348

$1.78 IQD 2,326

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,812

$2.10 IQD 2,747

2.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 IQD 993

$0.39 IQD 516

94.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

-9.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 IQD 4,954

$3.90 IQD 5,103

-3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,999

$1.48 IQD 1,933

3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 IQD 9,868

$7.57 IQD 9,907

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 750

$0.53 IQD 699

7.55%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

1.06%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

1.44%

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

$181 IQD 236.7K

$179 IQD 234.1K

1.14%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

-2.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

10.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

12.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.51 IQD 9,840

3.99%

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

$166 IQD 217.9K

$166 IQD 217.7K

0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

-1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

-0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

-2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.3 IQD 83.0K

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

-0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 IQD 724.7K

$244 IQD 319.6K

126.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 IQD 418.5K

$176 IQD 229.9K

82.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$575 IQD 752.9K

42.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.6K

$341 IQD 446.8K

70.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

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-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $553 in Baghdad and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $37.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $170, 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,074 vs $878 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,610 in Baghdad and $1,317 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: $553 in Baghdad versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 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 12% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,074 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 22% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.