Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $1,066 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $1,598 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 18% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱270

$5.30 IQD 6,947

-17.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,496

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

-33.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱279

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-41.77%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$3.11 IQD 4,074

-18.97%

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

$0.80 ₱49.42

$0.40 IQD 522

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.97

$0.18 IQD 233

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$3.49 IQD 4,576

-54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.82 IQD 3,686

-22.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.31 IQD 1,722

72.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.0

$0.84 IQD 1,100

79.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.6

$1.64 IQD 2,152

-29.27%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱145

$1.81 IQD 2,364

30.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱792

$4.52 IQD 5,923

184.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱331

$4.86 IQD 6,364

10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱481

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

-44.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱217

$1.23 IQD 1,615

186.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.9

$1.16 IQD 1,519

30.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.04 IQD 1,366

216.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$0.75 IQD 984

193.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱162

$0.64 IQD 843

312.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$0.67 IQD 873

267.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$0.63 IQD 828

58.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.06

$0.66 IQD 858

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$2.07 IQD 2,707

49.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱396

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

-51.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.11 IQD 2,762

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.74 IQD 965

-64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱946

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

-44.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$3.72 IQD 4,870

-78.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.06

$1.55 IQD 2,026

-85.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$7.49 IQD 9,803

-64.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$0.53 IQD 700

107.55%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

52.14%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

36.37%

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

$95.9 ₱5,904

$175 IQD 229.3K

-45.23%

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

$34.05 ₱2,096

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

30.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,839

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

-26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,051

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

-20.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱520

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

-53.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$7.49 IQD 9,813

-22.70%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$166 IQD 217.8K

41.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱240.9K

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

10.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,272

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

89.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,395

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

-24.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,685

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,383

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$548 IQD 717.9K

-7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$323 IQD 422.7K

-35.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$834 IQD 1.1M

-4.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$597 IQD 781.1K

-34.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.5K

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

-36.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.1K

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

24.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱20.9K

$629 IQD 823.2K

-45.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

41.09%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $548 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 85% 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: $24.00 in Cebu vs $37.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $190, 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

Cebu vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cebu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 85% lower in Baghdad. 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: $508 in Cebu versus $548 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 81% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $235 in Cebu versus $166 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,066 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cebu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $873 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cebu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Baghdad 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.