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: $858 in Sinjar versus $1,046 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,324 in Sinjar versus $1,591 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Sinjar versus $2,137 in Baghdad.

Living in Sinjar costs roughly 18% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sinjar 36% lower, Baghdad 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$5.50 IQD 7,203

42.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

$36.73 IQD 48.1K

-38.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$7.59 IQD 9,932

18.71%

Cappuccino

$3.17 IQD 4,147

$3.11 IQD 4,077

1.93%

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

$0.52 IQD 683

$0.36 IQD 478

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.16 IQD 212

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$3.48 IQD 4,556

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,819

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 IQD 1,754

$1.36 IQD 1,778

-1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$0.83 IQD 1,081

1.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 IQD 2,457

$1.60 IQD 2,101

17.50%

Eggs

$1.96 IQD 2,568

$1.78 IQD 2,333

10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 IQD 9,817

$4.48 IQD 5,871

67.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 IQD 6,237

$4.99 IQD 6,539

-4.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$13.94 IQD 18.2K

1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$1.26 IQD 1,654

-8.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.21 IQD 1,582

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$1.05 IQD 1,370

12.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 991

$0.74 IQD 965

2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 944

$0.65 IQD 846

10.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 934

$0.67 IQD 879

5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 996

$0.67 IQD 882

13.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.66 IQD 870

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,554

$2.14 IQD 2,806

26.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 IQD 9,746

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

-45.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,868

$1.84 IQD 2,410

-22.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,540

$2.08 IQD 2,718

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.75 IQD 978

-52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.77 IQD 40.3K

$27.79 IQD 36.4K

10.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,963

$3.89 IQD 5,095

-41.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

$1.48 IQD 1,933

57.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 IQD 8,771

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-14.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 IQD 910

$0.52 IQD 686

32.69%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-6.93%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

3.19%

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

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

$175 IQD 229.8K

-43.58%

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

$17.92 IQD 23.5K

$26.25 IQD 34.4K

-31.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 IQD 38.5K

$39.78 IQD 52.1K

-26.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.11 IQD 47.3K

$41.63 IQD 54.5K

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$18.62 IQD 24.4K

-9.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

46.73%

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

$272 IQD 356.0K

$167 IQD 218.5K

62.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,300 IQD 4.3M

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

-7.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.41 IQD 43.7K

$28.85 IQD 37.8K

15.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.81 IQD 63.9K

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

57.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

$65.7 IQD 86.0K

24.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 IQD 102.4K

$43.80 IQD 57.3K

78.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 314.5K

$555 IQD 727.0K

-56.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 231.1K

$325 IQD 425.5K

-45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 IQD 766.7K

$836 IQD 1.1M

-29.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.0K

$591 IQD 774.1K

-41.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,872 IQD 5.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 IQD 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$233 IQD 305.4K

$627 IQD 820.4K

-62.77%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sinjar and $555 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 169% 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 in Sinjar vs $37 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $192 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 22% 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 169% 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 $555 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 $272 in Sinjar versus $167 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $858 in Sinjar versus $1,046 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 22% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.