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: $927 in Manila versus $1,124 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Manila versus $1,692 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Manila versus $2,259 in Baghdad.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 33% lower, Baghdad 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₱324

$4.74 IQD 6,209

8.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.86 ₱1,621

$33.69 IQD 44.1K

-23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱246

$7.75 IQD 10.1K

-49.29%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$3.07 IQD 4,024

-17.92%

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

$1.36 ₱85.1

$0.40 IQD 521

240.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.24 IQD 313

245.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.8

$3.87 IQD 5,071

-70.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$3.75 IQD 4,911

-26.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.09 IQD 1,423

74.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.6

$0.80 IQD 1,042

78.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.4

$1.51 IQD 1,982

-35.10%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱140

$1.82 IQD 2,386

22.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱501

$3.90 IQD 5,106

104.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 ₱294

$4.70 IQD 6,149

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱427

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-52.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ₱208

$1.12 IQD 1,465

196.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱114

$1.06 IQD 1,389

72.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱187

$1.07 IQD 1,400

178.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₱116

$0.74 IQD 967

151.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱142

$0.66 IQD 860

242.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ₱169

$0.70 IQD 915

285.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱131

$0.62 IQD 813

238.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.83

$0.65 IQD 845

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.78 IQD 2,333

79.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 ₱602

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

-29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱83.0

$2.14 IQD 2,798

-38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱132

$2.27 IQD 2,971

-7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱29.04

$0.64 IQD 838

-28.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.68 ₱795

$22.99 IQD 30.1K

-44.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$2.25 IQD 2,941

-63.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.47

$1.48 IQD 1,944

-84.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱117

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-76.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.6

$0.67 IQD 877

85.07%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

10.14%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

1.22%

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

$122 ₱7,647

$214 IQD 280.5K

-43.05%

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

$14.83 ₱930

$21.41 IQD 28.0K

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.95 ₱1,502

$42.10 IQD 55.1K

-43.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.46 ₱2,662

$47.30 IQD 61.9K

-10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱363

$22.04 IQD 28.9K

-73.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱431

$10.76 IQD 14.1K

-36.06%

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

$621 ₱38.9K

$165 IQD 215.5K

277.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,865 ₱555.8K

$3,445 IQD 4.5M

157.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₱3,604

$29.79 IQD 39.0K

93.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 ₱1,758

$38.31 IQD 50.2K

-26.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₱4,866

$74.4 IQD 97.5K

4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,628

$47.59 IQD 62.3K

21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.5K

$566 IQD 741.8K

-5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱18.0K

$346 IQD 453.5K

-17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.9K

$959 IQD 1.3M

101.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₱41.6K

$679 IQD 889.1K

-2.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,356 ₱273.1K

$4,665 IQD 6.1M

-6.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 ₱160.2K

$1,599 IQD 2.1M

59.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ₱29.7K

$615 IQD 805.6K

-23.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

4.12

80.34%

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

Last update for Manila: September 8, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $534 in Manila and $566 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 30% 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: $26.00 in Manila vs $34.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $186, 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 21% 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, salaries run 30% 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: $534 in Manila versus $566 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 81% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $621 in Manila versus $165 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $927 in Manila versus $1,124 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 $927 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 21% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.