Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Baghdad versus $934 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Baghdad versus $1,491 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Baghdad versus $2,048 in Manila.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 23% more expensive than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 IQD 6,302

$5.70 ₱355

-15.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$25.88 ₱1,615

30.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$4.11 ₱256

86.86%

Cappuccino

$3.07 IQD 4,018

$2.49 ₱155

23.29%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$1.37 ₱85.3

-70.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.84 ₱52.3

-69.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 IQD 5,091

$1.14 ₱71.4

241.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 IQD 4,906

$2.67 ₱167

40.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,424

$1.89 ₱118

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,091

$1.46 ₱91.1

-43.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$0.99 ₱61.6

54.55%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,473

$2.32 ₱145

-18.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,971

$7.85 ₱490

-51.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,992

$4.96 ₱309

-7.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

$7.07 ₱441

106.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$3.39 ₱212

-66.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$1.93 ₱120

-44.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$3.01 ₱188

-64.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$1.78 ₱111

-58.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 860

$2.24 ₱140

-70.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$2.59 ₱161

-75.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$2.12 ₱132

-70.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.56 ₱34.82

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$3.03 ₱189

-39.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$9.84 ₱614

38.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,890

$1.28 ₱79.9

72.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,861

$2.11 ₱132

3.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.47 ₱29.17

38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$12.73 ₱794

77.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,037

$0.83 ₱52.0

179.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$0.23 ₱14.39

573.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$1.98 ₱123

293.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 801

$1.24 ₱77.3

-50.81%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-12.48%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-2.72%

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

$213 IQD 278.8K

$121 ₱7,581

75.27%

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

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

$15.06 ₱940

39.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

$23.90 ₱1,492

76.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

$43.84 ₱2,736

6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

$5.97 ₱373

268.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$7.03 ₱439

50.36%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$629 ₱39.3K

-73.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

$9,036 ₱563.9K

-61.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

$59.1 ₱3,691

-48.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

$28.07 ₱1,752

35.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

$75.6 ₱4,714

-3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

$57.9 ₱3,613

-17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.1K

$537 ₱33.5K

7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.9K

$283 ₱17.6K

23.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 IQD 1.3M

$1,898 ₱118.4K

-49.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 IQD 899.8K

$671 ₱41.9K

2.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

$4,351 ₱271.5K

9.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

$2,494 ₱155.6K

-36.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 IQD 791.2K

$484 ₱30.2K

24.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

7.43

-44.55%

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

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Baghdad and $537 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 25% 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 $26.00 in Manila. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $223, 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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 25% 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 $537 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Manila 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 $629 in Manila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $934 in Manila versus $1,148 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manila but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Manila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Manila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $934 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baghdad and Manila 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 Manila 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.