Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Ba'qubah

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba'qubah: $524 a month against $1,554 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Belgrade
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Belgrade Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Ba'qubah
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Ba'qubah Living Index

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Belgrade

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,554

/mo nomad

Ba'qubah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$524

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Ba'qubah

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,554 in Belgrade versus $524 in Ba'qubah.

Belgrade $1,554
Ba'qubah $524

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,337 in Belgrade versus $826 in Ba'qubah.

Belgrade $2,337
Ba'qubah $826

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,121 in Belgrade versus $1,128 in Ba'qubah.

Belgrade $3,121
Ba'qubah $1,128

Living in Belgrade is roughly 197% more expensive than in Ba'qubah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belgrade is 15% above, Ba'qubah is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.15 RSD 1,371

$4.18 IQD 6,323

214.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RSD 5,999

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

332.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.38 RSD 1,394

$5.70 IQD 8,615

134.74%

Cappuccino

$3.10 RSD 323

$1.01 IQD 1,520

206.93%

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

$2.82 RSD 294

$0.47 IQD 707

500.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RSD 231

$0.18 IQD 266

1133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RSD 362

$1.66 IQD 2,516

109.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 RSD 412

$4.05 IQD 6,113

-2.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RSD 144

$1.03 IQD 1,559

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 RSD 118

$0.47 IQD 704

140.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 RSD 277

$1.03 IQD 1,552

158.25%

Eggs

$2.78 RSD 290

$1.27 IQD 1,924

118.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 RSD 1,146

$2.00 IQD 3,016

449.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 RSD 684

$2.10 IQD 3,179

212.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 RSD 1,571

$9.09 IQD 13.7K

65.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 RSD 173

$0.84 IQD 1,266

97.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 186

$0.93 IQD 1,402

92.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 RSD 195

$0.85 IQD 1,290

120.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 RSD 315

$0.47 IQD 711

544.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 96.3

$0.51 IQD 776

80.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RSD 73.8

$0.60 IQD 908

18.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 RSD 77.6

$0.43 IQD 648

72.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RSD 77.2

$0.15 IQD 220

393.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 RSD 481

$2.20 IQD 3,326

109.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 RSD 918

$10.64 IQD 16.1K

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RSD 92.7

$1.45 IQD 2,197

-38.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 RSD 151

$1.80 IQD 2,722

-19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 IQD 644

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.36 IQD 27.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 RSD 315

$1.61 IQD 2,427

87.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RSD 103

$1.57 IQD 2,368

-37.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.08 RSD 1,780

$4.71 IQD 7,120

262.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RSD 199

$0.31 IQD 473

516.13%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.2M

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

88.77%

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

$24.7K RSD 2.6M

$17.4K IQD 26.3M

41.77%

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

$220 RSD 23.0K

$50.1 IQD 75.6K

340.31%

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

$24.41 RSD 2,544

$12.12 IQD 18.3K

101.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.64 RSD 3,715

$22.83 IQD 34.5K

56.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 RSD 4,295

$16.53 IQD 25.0K

149.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 RSD 2,356

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 RSD 896

$3.36 IQD 5,078

155.65%

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

$424 RSD 44.2K

$22.77 IQD 34.4K

1760.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K RSD 1.1M

$555 IQD 838.8K

1876.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 RSD 11.5K

$16.58 IQD 25.0K

567.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.28 RSD 4,929

$16.76 IQD 25.3K

182.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.8K

$60.1 IQD 90.9K

88.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 RSD 16.3K

$22.70 IQD 34.3K

589.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 RSD 83.9K

$178 IQD 268.4K

353.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 RSD 56.9K

$130 IQD 197.1K

318.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 RSD 151.4K

$371 IQD 560.2K

291.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 RSD 97.0K

$308 IQD 465.5K

202.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,368 RSD 559.6K

$704 IQD 1.1M

663.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 328.9K

$579 IQD 874.1K

445.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,237 RSD 128.9K

$627 IQD 946.7K

97.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

2.53

82.21%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ba'qubah: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Belgrade

$546 35.2%

Ba'qubah

$130 24.9% 76.1% $416

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belgrade

$280 18.1%

Ba'qubah

$85 16.2% 69.7% $195

Groceries & Markets

Belgrade

$241 15.5%

Ba'qubah

$122 23.3% 49.4% $119

Eating Out

Belgrade

$228 14.7%

Ba'qubah

$82 15.6% 64.2% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Belgrade

$192 12.4%

Ba'qubah

$52 10% 72.8% $140

Sport & Entertainment

Belgrade

$58 3.8%

Ba'qubah

$23 4.4% 60.2% $35

Getting Around

Belgrade

$7.9 * 0.5%

Ba'qubah

$30 5.6% 272% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $805 in Belgrade and $178 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belgrade pays 97% 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: $58.0 in Belgrade vs $13.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $122 per month, with Ba'qubah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇸 Belgrade

🇮🇶 Ba'qubah

🕒 Local time

07:02 7:02 AM

08:02 8:02 AM

1 h ahead of Belgrade

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,714 Capital

268,866

💱 Currency

Serbian Dinar RSD din

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.52 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇸 Serbian Dinar (din)

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.52 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR).

USD to RSD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Belgrade Ba'qubah 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Belgrade
Ba'qubah

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

Belgrade vs Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Belgrade, 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: $805 in Belgrade versus $178 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $424 in Belgrade versus $22.77 in Ba'qubah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $58.0 in Belgrade. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $524 in Ba'qubah versus $1,554 in Belgrade, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Belgrade. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah 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, Belgrade and Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.