Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Koysinjaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Koysinjaq

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Baghdad versus $728 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Baghdad versus $1,075 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,088 in Baghdad versus $1,422 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 47% more expensive than Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,893

$2.23 IQD 2,924

135.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 IQD 48.4K

$12.07 IQD 15.8K

205.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 IQD 9,779

$8.94 IQD 11.7K

-16.55%

Cappuccino

$3.01 IQD 3,940

$1.48 IQD 1,945

103.38%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.40 IQD 520

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 230

$0.20 IQD 263

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,597

$2.02 IQD 2,653

73.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,707

$2.16 IQD 2,830

31.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,785

$1.18 IQD 1,551

15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,042

$0.76 IQD 993

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,103

$1.12 IQD 1,473

43.75%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,248

$1.49 IQD 1,955

15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,760

$7.53 IQD 9,862

-41.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 IQD 6,374

$3.86 IQD 5,060

26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 IQD 18.2K

$9.10 IQD 11.9K

52.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,678

$0.75 IQD 981

70.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,523

$1.17 IQD 1,533

-0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.13 IQD 1,476

-10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.55 IQD 720

27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 895

$0.55 IQD 718

23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 831

$0.55 IQD 716

14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.36 IQD 478

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 867

$0.37 IQD 481

78.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,714

$2.35 IQD 3,079

-11.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,413

$1.43 IQD 1,878

28.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,712

$1.92 IQD 2,516

7.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 964

$0.37 IQD 482

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$31.44 IQD 41.2K

-9.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,114

$1.56 IQD 2,050

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$0.79 IQD 1,041

86.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 IQD 9,966

$3.85 IQD 5,041

97.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 701

$0.70 IQD 918

-24.29%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

1.88%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

9.11%

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

$179 IQD 234.4K

$99.2 IQD 130.0K

80.26%

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

$25.76 IQD 33.7K

$17.85 IQD 23.4K

44.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 IQD 53.6K

$29.90 IQD 39.2K

36.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

$36.01 IQD 47.2K

15.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.57 IQD 24.3K

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

11.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$11.64 IQD 15.3K

-34.19%

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

$168 IQD 220.4K

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

161.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

$1,128 IQD 1.5M

213.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

87.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

$19.48 IQD 25.5K

58.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 IQD 85.2K

$83.2 IQD 109.0K

-21.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

128.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 IQD 730.1K

$240 IQD 314.6K

132.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 IQD 424.9K

$177 IQD 231.7K

83.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 IQD 1.1M

$584 IQD 765.5K

40.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 IQD 778.1K

$344 IQD 450.2K

72.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,867 IQD 5.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,428 IQD 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 IQD 814.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $557 in Baghdad and $240 in Koysinjaq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $12.00 in Koysinjaq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $161 per month, with Koysinjaq 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 Koysinjaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koysinjaq wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Koysinjaq the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,611 in Baghdad and $1,093 in Koysinjaq to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $557 in Baghdad versus $240 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Koysinjaq runs roughly 11% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $168 in Baghdad versus $64.4 in Koysinjaq. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $728 in Koysinjaq versus $1,074 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Koysinjaq but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Koysinjaq 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 Koysinjaq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.