Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Kalar

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalar: $500 a month against $1,048 in Baghdad, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Baghdad
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Baghdad Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Kalar
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Kalar Living Index

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Baghdad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,048

/mo nomad

Kalar

🇮🇶 Iraq

$500

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baghdad and in Kalar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baghdad and in Kalar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Baghdad versus $500 in Kalar.

Baghdad $1,048
Kalar $500

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,508 in Baghdad versus $745 in Kalar.

Baghdad $1,508
Kalar $745

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,968 in Baghdad versus $991 in Kalar.

Baghdad $1,968
Kalar $991

Living in Baghdad is roughly 110% more expensive than in Kalar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 23% lower, Kalar 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 IQD 6,862

$4.18 IQD 6,309

8.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 IQD 40.2K

$10.53 IQD 15.9K

152.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 IQD 9,774

$3.07 IQD 4,643

110.75%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 4,051

$0.85 IQD 1,283

215.29%

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

$0.39 IQD 583

$0.45 IQD 682

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 301

$0.14 IQD 214

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 IQD 5,005

$5.49 IQD 8,284

-39.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 IQD 4,863

$3.93 IQD 5,936

-18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,389

$0.92 IQD 1,387

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 IQD 1,077

$0.72 IQD 1,090

-1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,998

$1.29 IQD 1,945

2.33%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,575

$1.12 IQD 1,697

52.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,986

$2.90 IQD 4,373

13.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 IQD 6,265

$2.00 IQD 3,018

107.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

$10.87 IQD 16.4K

12.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,512

$0.81 IQD 1,218

23.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,486

$0.97 IQD 1,461

1.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 IQD 1,439

$0.85 IQD 1,285

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,020

$0.70 IQD 1,052

-2.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 877

$0.58 IQD 873

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 854

$0.63 IQD 948

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 902

$0.60 IQD 908

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 IQD 926

$0.39 IQD 585

56.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,529

$2.09 IQD 3,163

-20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 IQD 17.6K

$10.72 IQD 16.2K

8.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 IQD 3,003

$1.46 IQD 2,212

36.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,960

$1.86 IQD 2,813

5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 IQD 480

$0.49 IQD 739

-34.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.04 IQD 30.3K

$26.14 IQD 39.5K

-23.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 IQD 3,043

$1.67 IQD 2,524

20.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 IQD 1,963

$1.55 IQD 2,345

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 IQD 10.1K

$3.34 IQD 5,036

99.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 869

$0.54 IQD 814

7.41%

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

$16.5K IQD 25.0M

$14.6K IQD 22.1M

13.05%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.2M

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

1.69%

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

$188 IQD 284.4K

$46.19 IQD 69.7K

307.71%

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

$19.25 IQD 29.1K

$11.71 IQD 17.7K

64.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.51 IQD 56.6K

$20.88 IQD 31.5K

79.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 IQD 60.4K

$16.77 IQD 25.3K

138.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 IQD 27.8K

$32.49 IQD 49.1K

-43.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 IQD 14.7K

$6.74 IQD 10.2K

43.92%

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

$145 IQD 219.5K

$43.60 IQD 65.8K

233.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,297 IQD 5.0M

$1,306 IQD 2.0M

152.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.60 IQD 38.6K

$10.86 IQD 16.4K

135.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.32 IQD 50.3K

$12.02 IQD 18.2K

177.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 IQD 90.9K

$22.98 IQD 34.7K

161.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 63.2K

$28.22 IQD 42.6K

48.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 IQD 811.1K

$151 IQD 227.8K

256.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 IQD 550.2K

$92.5 IQD 139.7K

293.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 IQD 1.5M

$246 IQD 371.3K

291.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 IQD 942.5K

$126 IQD 189.6K

397.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,276 IQD 6.5M

$874 IQD 1.3M

389.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 IQD 2.1M

$392 IQD 591.3K

252.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 IQD 782.3K

$300 IQD 453.1K

72.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

2.53

62.85%

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

Last update for Baghdad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Kalar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baghdad

$364 34.8%

Kalar

$93 18.5% 74.6% $272

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baghdad

$245 23.4%

Kalar

$79 15.8% 67.9% $166

Groceries & Markets

Baghdad

$164 15.6%

Kalar

$137 27.4% 16.5% $27

Eating Out

Baghdad

$113 10.8%

Kalar

$91 18.1% 20.1% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Baghdad

$72 6.9%

Kalar

$33 6.7% 54% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Baghdad

$59 5.7%

Kalar

$30 6.1% 49% $29

Getting Around

Baghdad

$30 2.9%

Kalar

$38 7.5% 25.8% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $537 in Baghdad and $151 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 73% 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: $27 in Baghdad vs $11 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $137 per month, with Kalar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Baghdad

🇮🇶 Kalar

🕒 Local time

09:13 9:13 AM

Same time as Baghdad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,216,040 Capital

250,000

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Baghdad Kalar 170 km

From you

Baghdad
Kalar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kalar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kalar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 73% 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: $537 in Baghdad versus $151 in Kalar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 23% less than in Kalar. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $145 in Baghdad versus $44 in Kalar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $500 in Kalar versus $1,048 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kalar but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Kalar 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.

It comes down to priorities – Kalar wins on affordability, Baghdad on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.