Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $642 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $990 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,338 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 66% more expensive than in Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Ba'qubah 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$5.07 IQD 6,639

4.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

141.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$6.65 IQD 8,711

16.99%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$1.17 IQD 1,531

165.81%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.48 IQD 628

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.20 IQD 258

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$1.95 IQD 2,552

78.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$2.11 IQD 2,764

33.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$1.12 IQD 1,465

16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$0.60 IQD 782

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.16 IQD 1,523

41.38%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$1.46 IQD 1,918

23.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$2.28 IQD 2,984

98.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$2.47 IQD 3,241

96.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

33.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$0.99 IQD 1,300

24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.17 IQD 1,527

-0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$0.93 IQD 1,211

11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.58 IQD 764

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.59 IQD 771

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$0.66 IQD 861

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$0.50 IQD 659

26.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.18 IQD 232

266.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$2.65 IQD 3,464

-21.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$12.26 IQD 16.1K

8.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.38 IQD 1,802

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$1.93 IQD 2,532

9.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.37 IQD 484

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$30.51 IQD 39.9K

-8.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$2.25 IQD 2,952

65.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$2.14 IQD 2,801

-27.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$5.31 IQD 6,951

41.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.33 IQD 426

60.61%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

2.82%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

0.56%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$58.2 IQD 76.2K

200.76%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$17.75 IQD 23.2K

47.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$27.19 IQD 35.6K

49.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$18.92 IQD 24.8K

122.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

9.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$3.87 IQD 5,073

93.54%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$27.04 IQD 35.4K

515.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$636 IQD 832.7K

454.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

43.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$19.22 IQD 25.2K

56.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$81.3 IQD 106.4K

-21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$26.50 IQD 34.7K

62.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$246 IQD 321.7K

123.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$182 IQD 238.4K

77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$575 IQD 752.4K

45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$350 IQD 457.7K

70.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$759 IQD 993.8K

523.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$190 IQD 249.3K

724.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$726 IQD 950.9K

-13.43%

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 Ba'qubah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $140 per month, with Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Ba'qubah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $548 in Baghdad versus $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Baghdad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $37.00 in Baghdad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $642 in Ba'qubah versus $1,066 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.