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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Manila versus $1,054 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,528 in Manila versus $1,592 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,097 in Manila versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Manila costs roughly 9% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$5.48 IQD 7,181

-1.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,655

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

-27.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱267

$7.57 IQD 9,909

-42.67%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$3.06 IQD 4,003

-10.13%

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

$0.96 ₱58.9

$0.40 IQD 518

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.56

$0.18 IQD 242

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$3.42 IQD 4,485

-56.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-11.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$1.32 IQD 1,726

43.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$0.78 IQD 1,017

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$1.79 IQD 2,350

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$4.40 IQD 5,763

118.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$5.07 IQD 6,636

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-41.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$1.23 IQD 1,612

184.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.17 IQD 1,530

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$1.01 IQD 1,329

254.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$0.70 IQD 922

255.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$0.70 IQD 911

294.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$0.64 IQD 835

373.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$0.63 IQD 822

219.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.57

$0.66 IQD 871

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$2.11 IQD 2,765

57.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

-27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$2.15 IQD 2,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.91

$0.78 IQD 1,027

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

-58.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$3.88 IQD 5,087

-77.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.37

$1.47 IQD 1,923

-82.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-72.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$0.56 IQD 737

107.14%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

28.98%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

14.18%

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

$138 ₱8,529

$181 IQD 237.4K

-23.70%

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

$22.24 ₱1,371

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

-12.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,709

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

-31.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,554

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

0.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

-62.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-15.86%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$163 IQD 213.2K

119.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.3K

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

221.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

62.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,166

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

14.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,081

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,823

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$540 IQD 707.6K

-7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$321 IQD 420.5K

-17.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.8K

$818 IQD 1.1M

105.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$580 IQD 759.9K

9.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

8.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

57.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

$642 IQD 841.2K

-25.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

5.67

32.63%

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

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Manila and $540 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 34% 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: $27.00 in Manila vs $37.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $191, 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

Manila vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila wins on cost – living expenses run 10% 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.

On paper, Baghdad earns 34% 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: $500 in Manila versus $540 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Manila runs roughly 138% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $357 in Manila versus $163 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $959 in Manila versus $1,054 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 $959 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manila 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 Manila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.