Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Zakho Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Zakho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Baghdad versus $864 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Baghdad versus $1,359 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,073 in Baghdad versus $1,854 in Zakho.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 24% more expensive than Zakho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Zakho 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 IQD 6,895

$7.58 IQD 9,926

-30.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

$22.64 IQD 29.7K

62.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

-12.39%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,909

$3.19 IQD 4,184

-6.58%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.48 IQD 628

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.22 IQD 288

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,429

$2.03 IQD 2,656

66.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,785

$2.04 IQD 2,673

41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,702

$1.33 IQD 1,739

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,087

$0.79 IQD 1,039

5.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,181

$1.86 IQD 2,434

-10.22%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,343

$1.90 IQD 2,489

-5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,918

$7.27 IQD 9,524

-37.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 IQD 6,342

$4.81 IQD 6,294

0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

$14.09 IQD 18.5K

-0.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,680

$1.15 IQD 1,510

11.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,504

$1.19 IQD 1,558

-3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.18 IQD 1,541

-11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 914

$0.81 IQD 1,062

-13.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 897

$0.66 IQD 864

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 813

$0.71 IQD 933

-12.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 883

$0.72 IQD 947

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.56 IQD 727

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$2.62 IQD 3,430

-18.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,348

$1.45 IQD 1,898

23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,812

$1.94 IQD 2,542

10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 IQD 993

$0.40 IQD 521

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-8.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 IQD 4,954

$2.26 IQD 2,965

67.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,999

$2.23 IQD 2,921

-31.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 IQD 9,868

$7.00 IQD 9,165

7.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 750

$0.70 IQD 912

-18.57%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

4.06%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-1.38%

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

$181 IQD 236.7K

$100 IQD 131.0K

80.73%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

46.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

$29.69 IQD 38.9K

37.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

$37.17 IQD 48.7K

10.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

$17.01 IQD 22.3K

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

-33.02%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$272 IQD 355.7K

-38.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

$3,319 IQD 4.3M

6.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

$32.98 IQD 43.2K

-14.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

-39.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

-22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

-42.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 IQD 724.7K

$246 IQD 321.7K

125.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 IQD 418.5K

$180 IQD 236.0K

77.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$580 IQD 759.4K

41.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.6K

$343 IQD 448.6K

70.22%

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 848.7K

$659 IQD 863.5K

-1.72%

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 Zakho: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $553 in Baghdad and $246 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakho pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $23.00 in Zakho. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $195, 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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakho wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zakho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Zakho earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $553 in Baghdad versus $246 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zakho runs roughly 10% 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 $272 in Zakho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $864 in Zakho versus $1,074 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho 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.

Safety-wise, Baghdad and Zakho 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 Zakho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.