Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Baghdad versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Baghdad versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Baghdad versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 23% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 16% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 IQD 6,302

$3.09 ₱193

55.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$23.80 ₱1,485

41.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$4.10 ₱256

87.32%

Cappuccino

$3.07 IQD 4,018

$2.60 ₱162

18.08%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$1.55 ₱96.7

-74.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.54 ₱33.39

-51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 IQD 5,091

$1.73 ₱108

124.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 IQD 4,906

$2.19 ₱137

71.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,424

$1.92 ₱120

-43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,091

$1.39 ₱86.9

-40.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$0.97 ₱60.7

57.73%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,473

$2.00 ₱125

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,971

$9.93 ₱619

-61.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,992

$4.38 ₱273

4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

$7.41 ₱462

96.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$3.46 ₱216

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$1.47 ₱91.5

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$2.41 ₱151

-56.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$1.54 ₱96.3

-51.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 860

$2.36 ₱148

-72.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.91 ₱119

-66.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$1.24 ₱77.1

-49.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.66 ₱41.34

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$3.00 ₱187

-39.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$6.08 ₱380

124.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,890

$1.31 ₱81.6

68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,861

$1.73 ₱108

26.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.25 ₱15.62

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$12.73 ₱795

77.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,037

$0.75 ₱46.68

209.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$0.23 ₱14.38

573.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$4.60 ₱287

69.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 801

$1.34 ₱83.6

-54.48%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-12.55%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-1.38%

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

$213 IQD 278.8K

$121 ₱7,548

76.04%

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

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

$14.86 ₱927

41.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

$27.84 ₱1,737

51.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

$32.06 ₱2,001

46.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

$6.43 ₱402

242.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$5.64 ₱352

87.41%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$273 ₱17.1K

-39.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

$8,017 ₱500.3K

-56.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

$48.77 ₱3,044

-38.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

$25.49 ₱1,590

49.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

$78.1 ₱4,873

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

$57.8 ₱3,609

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.1K

$500 ₱31.2K

15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.9K

$300 ₱18.7K

16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 IQD 1.3M

$1,089 ₱67.9K

-11.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 IQD 899.8K

$632 ₱39.4K

8.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

$2,888 ₱180.2K

64.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

$1,877 ₱117.1K

-16.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 IQD 791.2K

$346 ₱21.6K

74.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

7.2

-42.78%

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

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Baghdad and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 74% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Baghdad vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $208, with Baghdad cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cebu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 74% higher in Baghdad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $575 in Baghdad versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 78% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $165 in Baghdad versus $273 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $936 in Cebu versus $1,148 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cebu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $936 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cebu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baghdad and Cebu 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.