Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and 'aqrah

For one person, living is cheaper in 'aqrah: $661 a month against $1,001 in Baghdad, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Baghdad
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Baghdad Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index

Jump to prices

Baghdad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,001

/mo nomad

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baghdad and in 'aqrah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baghdad and in 'aqrah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,001 in Baghdad versus $661 in 'aqrah.

Baghdad $1,001
'aqrah $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Baghdad versus $1,015 in 'aqrah.

Baghdad $1,472
'aqrah $1,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,943 in Baghdad versus $1,369 in 'aqrah.

Baghdad $1,943
'aqrah $1,369

Living in Baghdad is roughly 51% more expensive than in 'aqrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 26% lower, 'aqrah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.27 IQD 6,445

$3.62 IQD 5,467

17.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.18 IQD 44.1K

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

33.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 IQD 10.2K

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 4,003

$2.38 IQD 3,602

11.34%

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

$0.35 IQD 530

$0.32 IQD 485

9.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

$0.18 IQD 273

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 IQD 4,927

$3.11 IQD 4,706

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 IQD 4,868

$2.61 IQD 3,945

23.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,466

$0.94 IQD 1,416

3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 1,097

$0.72 IQD 1,086

1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 2,003

$1.46 IQD 2,205

-8.90%

Eggs

$1.68 IQD 2,534

$1.70 IQD 2,573

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.25 IQD 4,912

$3.48 IQD 5,252

-6.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 IQD 6,192

$4.16 IQD 6,291

-1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 IQD 18.8K

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

-6.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,523

$0.92 IQD 1,383

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,487

$0.91 IQD 1,375

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,444

$0.77 IQD 1,161

24.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 1,045

$0.66 IQD 990

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 842

$0.54 IQD 809

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 855

$0.64 IQD 965

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 IQD 806

$0.51 IQD 776

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 943

$0.50 IQD 756

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 IQD 2,534

$1.57 IQD 2,368

7.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 17.5K

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 IQD 2,863

$1.33 IQD 2,003

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 IQD 2,876

$1.85 IQD 2,800

2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 IQD 858

$0.45 IQD 679

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.12 IQD 30.4K

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

14.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 IQD 3,038

$1.89 IQD 2,859

6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 IQD 2,029

$1.39 IQD 2,099

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 IQD 9,887

$5.15 IQD 7,788

26.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 810

$0.48 IQD 727

12.50%

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

$16.3K IQD 24.6M

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

-3.44%

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

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

-14.47%

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

$189 IQD 285.6K

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

135.81%

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

$17.44 IQD 26.4K

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

28.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.40 IQD 55.0K

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

33.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.49 IQD 62.7K

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 IQD 28.0K

Cinema Ticket

$9.64 IQD 14.6K

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

14.90%

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

$145 IQD 218.9K

$142 IQD 213.9K

2.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,046 IQD 4.6M

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

14.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.78 IQD 37.4K

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

12.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.66 IQD 43.3K

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

20.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 IQD 90.4K

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

26.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.64 IQD 62.9K

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

34.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 774.7K

$184 IQD 277.8K

178.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 IQD 485.8K

$141 IQD 213.2K

127.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 IQD 1.3M

$358 IQD 541.4K

145.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 IQD 899.0K

$278 IQD 419.4K

114.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,336 IQD 6.6M

$779 IQD 1.2M

456.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 IQD 2.2M

$642 IQD 970.8K

124.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 IQD 753.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

3.33

23.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baghdad: October 12, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baghdad

$322 32.1%

'aqrah

$141 21.4% 56.1% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baghdad

$243 24.3%

'aqrah

$121 18.3% 50.2% $122

Groceries & Markets

Baghdad

$164 16.4%

'aqrah

$160 24.2% 2.3% $3.7

Eating Out

Baghdad

$111 11.1%

'aqrah

$101 15.3% 9.3% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Baghdad

$70 7%

'aqrah

$56 8.5% 19.8% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Baghdad

$61 6.1%

'aqrah

$54 8.1% 11.5% $7

Getting Around

Baghdad

$31 3.1%

'aqrah

$28 4.3% 9.6% $3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Baghdad and $184 in 'aqrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Baghdad vs $22.00 in 'aqrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $160 per month, with 'aqrah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Baghdad

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

Same time as Baghdad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,216,040 Capital

68,100

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Baghdad 'aqrah 380 km

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Baghdad
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'aqrah wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making 'aqrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,501 in Baghdad and $991 in 'aqrah 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: $513 in Baghdad versus $184 in 'aqrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,001 per month in Baghdad versus $661 in 'aqrah – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 'aqrah runs roughly 15% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in 'aqrah versus $1,001 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in 'aqrah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes 'aqrah 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.

Safety-wise, Baghdad and 'aqrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'aqrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.