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: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 22% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$4.39 ₱270

20.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$24.30 ₱1,496

51.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$4.53 ₱279

71.74%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$2.52 ₱155

23.41%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.80 ₱49.42

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.42 ₱25.97

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$1.59 ₱97.7

119.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$2.19 ₱135

28.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$2.26 ₱139

-42.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$1.51 ₱93.0

-44.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.16 ₱71.6

41.38%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.36 ₱145

-23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$12.87 ₱792

-64.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$5.38 ₱331

-9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$7.82 ₱481

81.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$3.53 ₱217

-65.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.51 ₱92.9

-23.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$3.29 ₱203

-68.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$2.20 ₱136

-65.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$2.64 ₱162

-75.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$2.46 ₱152

-72.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$1.00 ₱61.4

-37.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.78 ₱48.06

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$3.10 ₱191

-33.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$6.43 ₱396

107.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.16 ₱71.7

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$2.24 ₱138

-5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.26 ₱15.80

184.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$15.36 ₱946

81.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$0.81 ₱49.81

359.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$0.23 ₱14.06

573.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$2.64 ₱163

183.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$1.10 ₱67.7

-51.82%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-34.27%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-26.67%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$95.9 ₱5,904

82.57%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$34.05 ₱2,096

-23.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$29.86 ₱1,839

35.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$33.32 ₱2,051

26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$8.45 ₱520

116.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$5.79 ₱357

29.36%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$235 ₱14.5K

-29.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$3,913 ₱240.9K

-9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$53.1 ₱3,272

-47.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$22.65 ₱1,395

32.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$76.1 ₱4,685

-15.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$55.0 ₱3,383

-21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$508 ₱31.3K

7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$210 ₱12.9K

54.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$800 ₱49.3K

4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$389 ₱24.0K

53.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$3,013 ₱185.5K

57.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$1,950 ₱120.1K

-19.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$340 ₱20.9K

84.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-29.13%

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

Last update for Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 85% 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: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $241, 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 22% 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 85% 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: $548 in Baghdad versus $508 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 81% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Baghdad versus $235 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,066 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 $873 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 22% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.