Cost of Living Comparison Between Sinjar and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Sinjar and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $875 in Sinjar versus $1,074 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in Sinjar versus $1,573 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Sinjar versus $2,073 in Baghdad.

Living in Sinjar costs roughly 19% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.63 IQD 9,980

$5.27 IQD 6,887

44.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.24 IQD 30.4K

$36.86 IQD 48.2K

-36.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 IQD 11.2K

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

10.41%

Cappuccino

$3.15 IQD 4,120

$2.98 IQD 3,904

5.70%

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

$0.52 IQD 680

$0.39 IQD 511

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.17 IQD 216

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 IQD 2,516

$3.38 IQD 4,424

-43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,798

$2.89 IQD 3,780

-25.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.30 IQD 1,700

0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 IQD 1,131

$0.83 IQD 1,085

3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 IQD 2,340

$1.67 IQD 2,178

7.19%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,584

$1.79 IQD 2,341

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 IQD 9,791

$4.52 IQD 5,911

65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 IQD 6,103

$4.84 IQD 6,334

-3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 IQD 18.7K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,545

$1.28 IQD 1,678

-7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.15 IQD 1,503

-0.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$1.04 IQD 1,362

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,005

$0.70 IQD 913

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 935

$0.69 IQD 896

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 915

$0.62 IQD 812

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$0.67 IQD 882

16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 739

$0.63 IQD 823

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,544

$2.13 IQD 2,782

27.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$13.64 IQD 17.8K

-43.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,864

$1.79 IQD 2,345

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,615

$2.15 IQD 2,809

-6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.76 IQD 992

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

$28.16 IQD 36.8K

11.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 IQD 3,098

$3.78 IQD 4,948

-37.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,896

$1.53 IQD 1,997

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 IQD 9,156

$7.54 IQD 9,857

-7.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 IQD 904

$0.57 IQD 749

21.05%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-3.24%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

2.56%

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

$103 IQD 134.1K

$181 IQD 236.5K

-43.27%

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

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

$25.64 IQD 33.5K

-30.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.28 IQD 39.6K

$40.76 IQD 53.3K

-25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.34 IQD 48.8K

$41.00 IQD 53.6K

-8.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 IQD 22.1K

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

-9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

44.56%

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

$269 IQD 351.3K

$166 IQD 217.6K

61.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,305 IQD 4.3M

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

-6.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.90 IQD 43.0K

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 IQD 64.9K

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

64.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 IQD 107.7K

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

29.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

75.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 314.4K

$553 IQD 723.8K

-56.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.8K

$320 IQD 418.0K

-44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.5K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-28.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 442.8K

$583 IQD 762.7K

-41.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 IQD 299.0K

$648 IQD 847.7K

-64.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

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

Last update for Sinjar: June 9, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sinjar and $553 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 183% 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: $23.00 in Sinjar vs $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $190 per month, with Sinjar cheaper across the board.

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

Sinjar vs Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sinjar wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sinjar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Baghdad earns 183% 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: $240 in Sinjar versus $553 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sinjar runs roughly 11% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Sinjar versus $166 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $875 in Sinjar versus $1,074 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sinjar but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Sinjar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Sinjar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.