Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $728 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $1,155 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 45% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Az Zubayr 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$3.99 IQD 5,222

37.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

47.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$6.69 IQD 8,761

13.15%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$2.67 IQD 3,493

14.61%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.37 IQD 484

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.17 IQD 217

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$2.92 IQD 3,829

17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.81 IQD 3,679

4.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$1.30 IQD 1,709

1.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$0.85 IQD 1,113

-8.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.61 IQD 2,104

2.48%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$1.81 IQD 2,365

-1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$4.58 IQD 6,002

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,636

$4.76 IQD 6,237

6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

11.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$1.15 IQD 1,508

6.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$1.02 IQD 1,333

-0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.70 IQD 918

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.69 IQD 904

1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.66 IQD 869

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.66 IQD 867

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.57 IQD 742

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$1.97 IQD 2,575

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.79 IQD 2,348

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$2.15 IQD 2,813

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.36 IQD 477

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$31.38 IQD 41.1K

-8.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$2.36 IQD 3,085

64.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$1.55 IQD 2,023

-5.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$6.02 IQD 7,878

30.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.53 IQD 696

5.66%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

5.33%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

-1.62%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$78.0 IQD 102.1K

132.50%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

42.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$36.70 IQD 48.1K

12.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

9.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

0.13%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$151 IQD 198.1K

7.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$27.46 IQD 36.0K

4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

19.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$62.3 IQD 81.6K

1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$41.70 IQD 54.6K

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$239 IQD 313.5K

125.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$180 IQD 236.4K

77.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$591 IQD 773.6K

38.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$338 IQD 443.1K

71.51%

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 Az Zubayr: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $158 per month, with Az Zubayr cheaper across the board.

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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad and Az Zubayr differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,054 vs $728 including rent). Az Zubayr 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 $1,091 in Az Zubayr 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 $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $37.00 in Baghdad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Az Zubayr versus $1,054 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.