Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Sinjar Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Sinjar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Baghdad versus $875 in Sinjar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Baghdad versus $1,353 in Sinjar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,073 in Baghdad versus $1,832 in Sinjar.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 23% more expensive than Sinjar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 IQD 6,887

$7.63 IQD 9,980

-30.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.86 IQD 48.2K

$23.24 IQD 30.4K

58.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$8.59 IQD 11.2K

-9.43%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,904

$3.15 IQD 4,120

-5.40%

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

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.52 IQD 680

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.22 IQD 288

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,424

$1.92 IQD 2,516

76.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,780

$2.14 IQD 2,798

35.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,700

$1.31 IQD 1,719

-0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.86 IQD 1,131

-3.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,178

$1.79 IQD 2,340

-6.70%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,341

$1.98 IQD 2,584

-9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,911

$7.49 IQD 9,791

-39.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 IQD 6,334

$4.67 IQD 6,103

3.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

$14.33 IQD 18.7K

-2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,678

$1.18 IQD 1,545

8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.14 IQD 1,486

0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,362

$1.14 IQD 1,490

-8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 913

$0.77 IQD 1,005

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 896

$0.71 IQD 935

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 812

$0.70 IQD 915

-11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 882

$0.78 IQD 1,017

-14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 IQD 823

$0.56 IQD 739

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,782

$2.71 IQD 3,544

-21.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.8K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

76.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,345

$1.43 IQD 1,864

25.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,809

$2.00 IQD 2,615

7.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 IQD 992

$0.40 IQD 519

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 IQD 36.8K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-10.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 IQD 4,948

$2.37 IQD 3,098

59.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,997

$2.21 IQD 2,896

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 IQD 9,857

$7.00 IQD 9,156

7.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 749

$0.69 IQD 904

-17.39%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

3.34%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

-2.50%

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

$181 IQD 236.5K

$103 IQD 134.1K

76.27%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.5K

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

43.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.76 IQD 53.3K

$30.28 IQD 39.6K

34.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 IQD 53.6K

$37.34 IQD 48.8K

9.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$16.88 IQD 22.1K

9.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

-30.82%

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

$166 IQD 217.6K

$269 IQD 351.3K

-38.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

$3,305 IQD 4.3M

6.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

$32.90 IQD 43.0K

-14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

$49.60 IQD 64.9K

-39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

$82.3 IQD 107.7K

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

-43.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 IQD 723.8K

$240 IQD 314.4K

130.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 IQD 418.0K

$178 IQD 232.8K

79.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$585 IQD 765.5K

39.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 762.7K

$339 IQD 442.8K

72.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 IQD 847.7K

$229 IQD 299.0K

183.47%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $553 in Baghdad and $240 in Sinjar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 183% 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 $23.00 in Sinjar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $187 per month, with Sinjar 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 Sinjar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Baghdad pays 183% 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: $553 in Baghdad versus $240 in Sinjar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sinjar 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 $166 in Baghdad versus $269 in Sinjar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $875 in Sinjar versus $1,074 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sinjar but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Sinjar 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 Sinjar 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.