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 $1,929 per month in Rabat vs $786 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Rabat vs $1,225 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,727 per month in Rabat vs $1,664 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Rabat costs about 146% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rabat sits 40% above the global median, while Al Hillah is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €14.89

$4.72 IQD 6,183

266.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 €44.40

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

71.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.82

$6.23 IQD 8,158

83.31%

Cappuccino

$2.38 €2.05

$3.09 IQD 4,041

-22.98%

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

$2.55 €2.19

$0.37 IQD 480

589.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.22 IQD 288

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.92 IQD 3,829

20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.95

$3.91 IQD 5,118

-12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.07 IQD 1,407

9.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.21

$0.75 IQD 976

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.52 IQD 1,988

55.26%

Eggs

$3.77 €3.24

$1.85 IQD 2,425

103.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 €7.38

$3.97 IQD 5,203

116.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 €7.16

$4.67 IQD 6,114

78.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 €11.07

$14.15 IQD 18.5K

-8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 €3.67

$1.18 IQD 1,548

261.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.07 IQD 1,402

111.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 €3.30

$1.03 IQD 1,348

272.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.73 IQD 949

226.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.71 IQD 931

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.65 IQD 855

75.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.60 IQD 780

96.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.54 IQD 711

120.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 €5.99

$1.79 IQD 2,338

289.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.15

$13.43 IQD 17.6K

-38.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$2.22 IQD 2,905

-21.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.19 IQD 2,868

14.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.44

$0.39 IQD 516

628.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$2.24 IQD 2,935

157.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.49 IQD 1,946

58.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.36 €23.52

$3.47 IQD 4,540

688.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.32

$0.59 IQD 768

161.02%

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

$40.0K €34.4K

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

129.40%

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

$40.5K €34.8K

$19.0K IQD 24.8M

113.35%

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

$107 €92.0

$77.7 IQD 101.7K

37.77%

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

$12.92 €11.10

$15.17 IQD 19.9K

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.09 €37.90

$38.30 IQD 50.2K

15.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 €55.3

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

176.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 €19.74

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

19.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 €8.84

$7.44 IQD 9,747

38.17%

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

$387 €333

$94.3 IQD 123.5K

310.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €9,967

$776 IQD 1.0M

1393.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.9

$21.84 IQD 28.6K

320.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 €25.46

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

17.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 €65.6

$67.6 IQD 88.5K

12.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 €68.7

$48.04 IQD 62.9K

66.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 €1,147

$275 IQD 359.5K

385.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 €955

$179 IQD 234.7K

520.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 €1,474

$506 IQD 662.7K

238.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,492

$294 IQD 385.3K

489.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,341 €3,732

$1,723 IQD 2.3M

151.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,244 €2,789

$562 IQD 735.4K

477.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,372 €1,180

$509 IQD 666.6K

169.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

4.12

-29.61%

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

Last update for Rabat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,334 in Rabat versus $275 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 170% 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 $52.0 in Rabat versus $30.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $184 – 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 146%, 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 $2,893 per month in Rabat and $1,178 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 $52.0 in Rabat and $30.00 in Al Hillah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $786, than in Rabat at $1,929. 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.