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: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $662 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $993 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,324 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 59% more expensive than Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Ba'qubah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$5.03 IQD 6,585

8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$15.28 IQD 20.0K

141.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$6.47 IQD 8,468

17.00%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$1.14 IQD 1,491

168.42%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.48 IQD 631

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.20 IQD 258

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$1.97 IQD 2,575

73.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.16 IQD 2,824

36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$1.17 IQD 1,529

12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$0.55 IQD 720

41.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.14 IQD 1,492

44.74%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$1.48 IQD 1,939

20.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$2.37 IQD 3,102

85.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,636

$2.52 IQD 3,294

101.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$10.91 IQD 14.3K

31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$0.94 IQD 1,230

30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.18 IQD 1,548

-0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$1.00 IQD 1,309

1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.59 IQD 775

18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.58 IQD 765

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.65 IQD 856

-1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.46 IQD 602

36.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.19 IQD 253

247.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$2.62 IQD 3,433

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$12.52 IQD 16.4K

6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.44 IQD 1,886

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$1.97 IQD 2,575

9.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.37 IQD 481

110.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$31.35 IQD 41.1K

-8.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$2.26 IQD 2,957

71.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$2.03 IQD 2,660

-27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$5.26 IQD 6,890

49.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.33 IQD 427

69.70%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

6.33%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

-4.74%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$58.6 IQD 76.7K

209.40%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$17.68 IQD 23.2K

43.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

47.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

112.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

10.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$3.89 IQD 5,092

101.03%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$27.20 IQD 35.6K

498.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$650 IQD 851.7K

449.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$19.27 IQD 25.2K

48.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$18.91 IQD 24.8K

62.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$82.1 IQD 107.5K

-22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

61.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$241 IQD 315.5K

124.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$179 IQD 234.5K

79.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$579 IQD 757.6K

41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$341 IQD 446.8K

70.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

$766 IQD 1.0M

426.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

$192 IQD 251.2K

743.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 IQD 841.2K

$711 IQD 930.6K

-9.61%

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 Ba'qubah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $241 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 11% 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 $191 vs $142 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 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ba'qubah earns 11% less. 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: $540 in Baghdad versus $241 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% 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 $662 in Ba'qubah versus $1,054 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 59% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.