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: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 21% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$4.33 ₱267

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$24.14 ₱1,489

53.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$4.36 ₱269

73.62%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$2.57 ₱159

19.07%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.84 ₱52.1

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.43 ₱26.36

-58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$1.53 ₱94.5

123.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.11 ₱130

39.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$2.21 ₱137

-40.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$1.50 ₱92.6

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.11 ₱68.7

48.65%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$2.33 ₱144

-23.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$13.03 ₱803

-66.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,636

$5.35 ₱330

-5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$7.50 ₱462

91.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$3.57 ₱220

-65.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.45 ₱89.4

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$3.39 ₱209

-70.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$2.18 ₱134

-67.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$2.59 ₱160

-72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$2.48 ₱153

-74.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.92 ₱56.6

-31.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.79 ₱48.95

-16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$3.11 ₱192

-32.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$6.52 ₱402

104.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.21 ₱74.4

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$2.32 ₱143

-7.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.28 ₱17.41

178.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$15.00 ₱925

90.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$0.84 ₱51.6

361.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$0.25 ₱15.45

488.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$2.69 ₱166

191.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$1.09 ₱67.1

-48.62%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-32.51%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-26.28%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$95.4 ₱5,880

90.10%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$33.83 ₱2,086

-24.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$29.78 ₱1,836

34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$32.91 ₱2,029

25.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$8.43 ₱520

118.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$5.84 ₱360

33.90%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$233 ₱14.3K

-30.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$3,894 ₱240.1K

-8.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$53.5 ₱3,297

-46.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$22.75 ₱1,403

35.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$76.7 ₱4,729

-17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$54.5 ₱3,359

-20.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$515 ₱31.8K

4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$209 ₱12.9K

53.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$805 ₱49.6K

1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$397 ₱24.5K

46.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

$2,955 ₱182.2K

36.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

$1,923 ₱118.6K

-15.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 IQD 841.2K

$364 ₱22.5K

76.34%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 76% 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 $191 vs $240, 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 21% 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.

Baghdad pays 76% more on average, 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: $540 in Baghdad versus $515 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 91% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $163 in Baghdad versus $233 in Cebu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,054 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 21% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.