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: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $746 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $1,165 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,584 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 43% more expensive than in Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Az Zubayr 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$4.00 IQD 5,233

32.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$25.20 IQD 33.0K

46.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$6.87 IQD 9,002

13.25%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$2.66 IQD 3,484

16.92%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.36 IQD 476

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.21 IQD 279

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$2.89 IQD 3,782

20.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$2.90 IQD 3,798

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$1.37 IQD 1,798

-4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$0.85 IQD 1,109

-1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.66 IQD 2,169

-1.20%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$1.72 IQD 2,257

5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$4.63 IQD 6,064

-2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$4.78 IQD 6,266

1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.19 IQD 1,561

3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.15 IQD 1,505

0.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$1.00 IQD 1,315

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.75 IQD 976

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.68 IQD 897

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$0.64 IQD 832

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$0.63 IQD 827

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.56 IQD 735

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$1.85 IQD 2,429

11.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.85 IQD 2,423

-2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$2.09 IQD 2,734

0.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.39 IQD 515

89.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$31.63 IQD 41.4K

-11.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$2.32 IQD 3,036

60.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$1.53 IQD 2,009

1.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$6.17 IQD 8,076

21.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.57 IQD 748

-7.02%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

4.04%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

3.24%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$78.4 IQD 102.6K

123.33%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

47.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$34.27 IQD 44.9K

18.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$37.29 IQD 48.8K

12.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

9.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-4.83%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$152 IQD 198.5K

9.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$3,290 IQD 4.3M

7.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$25.31 IQD 33.1K

19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$61.1 IQD 80.0K

4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$40.71 IQD 53.3K

5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$242 IQD 317.0K

126.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$175 IQD 229.6K

84.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$585 IQD 766.2K

42.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$346 IQD 453.0K

72.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Az Zubayr: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $242 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 $190 vs $160 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,066 vs $746 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,600 in Baghdad and $1,119 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: $548 in Baghdad versus $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,066 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 43% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.