Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Al Hillah Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Al Hillah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,883 per month in Rabat vs $819 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,839 per month in Rabat vs $1,263 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,796 per month in Rabat vs $1,708 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Rabat costs about 130% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rabat sits 41% above the global median, while Al Hillah is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.69

$5.28 IQD 6,917

223.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.9

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

131.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.78

$6.00 IQD 7,851

89.33%

Cappuccino

$2.45 €2.11

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-21.22%

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

$2.66 €2.29

$0.40 IQD 518

565.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.20 IQD 265

745.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.02

$2.97 IQD 3,896

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.83 IQD 3,706

19.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.31 IQD 1,713

-12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 €1.11

$0.74 IQD 967

72.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.64 IQD 2,151

43.90%

Eggs

$3.68 €3.17

$1.74 IQD 2,280

111.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 €8.80

$4.38 IQD 5,733

133.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 €7.17

$5.06 IQD 6,623

64.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.29

$13.96 IQD 18.3K

35.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$1.28 IQD 1,673

236.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.16 IQD 1,516

102.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$1.06 IQD 1,386

208.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$0.70 IQD 920

222.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.66 IQD 862

80.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.68 IQD 890

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.55 IQD 720

114.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.55 IQD 722

116.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 €5.62

$1.95 IQD 2,552

234.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 €7.27

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

-37.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.76 IQD 2,300

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.19 IQD 2,863

5.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$0.40 IQD 522

602.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.89

$2.26 IQD 2,957

150.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.54 IQD 2,016

172.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 €42.57

$3.33 IQD 4,358

1384.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.53 IQD 689

186.79%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$17.0K IQD 22.2M

124.79%

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

86.28%

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

$94.2 €81.1

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

23.90%

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

$12.60 €10.85

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

-17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.84 €39.47

$37.99 IQD 49.8K

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 €59.7

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

196.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.35 €29.58

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

77.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 €9.09

$7.55 IQD 9,883

39.87%

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

$435 €375

$96.5 IQD 126.4K

350.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,574

$754 IQD 986.7K

1375.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 €77.6

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

230.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.48 €24.53

$27.83 IQD 36.4K

2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 €63.7

$61.2 IQD 80.1K

20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.4

$43.90 IQD 57.5K

133.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €972

$378 IQD 494.8K

198.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 €823

$191 IQD 249.6K

401.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,732

$662 IQD 867.5K

203.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 €1,299

$322 IQD 422.1K

368.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 €3,764

$1,702 IQD 2.2M

156.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,116 €2,683

$562 IQD 736.0K

454.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 €1,194

$515 IQD 674.7K

169.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

5.67

-43.56%

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

Last update for Rabat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,129 in Rabat versus $378 in Al Hillah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 169% higher in Rabat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Rabat versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $188 – making Al Hillah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Rabat vs Al Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rabat is pricier by about 130%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,824 per month in Rabat and $1,228 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hillah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Rabat and $31.00 in Al Hillah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Rabat, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hillah, where all-in costs run around $819, than in Rabat at $1,883. In Al Hillah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al Hillah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rabat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.