Baghdad at a glance
- Baghdad is the most expensive of Iraq's 6 priced cities: $835 a month in essentials, 125% above Karbala at $371.
- The average net salary of $612 covers that 0.7×.
- 102.6 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at governorate level.
- PM2.5 averages 27.7 µg/m³ a year, 6× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 6 Iraq cities we track, so every row says whether Baghdad is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $835 | $579 | 1.44× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $352 | $234 | 1.50× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $576 | $348 | 1.66× as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $80 | $79 | $1 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $123 | $109 | $14 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $257 | $125 | 2.06× as much |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $23 | $23 | same |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $612 | $588 | $24 |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $682 | $433 | 1.58× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $948 | $619 | 1.53× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated September 8, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Baghdad, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $4.79 | $4.69 | $0.10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $34.36 | $26.73 | 1.29× as much |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $7.64 | $7.25 | $0.38 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.11 | $2.51 | $0.60 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $3.82 | $3.82 | same |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $3.82 | $3.05 | 1.25× as much |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $0.38 | $0.42 | $0.04 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $0.25 | $0.27 | $0.02 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.06 | $1.15 | $0.08 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $0.81 | $0.81 | $0.01 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.55 | $1.49 | $0.06 |
| Eggs, 12 | $1.87 | $1.77 | $0.10 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $3.86 | $5.72 | 1.48× as much |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $4.71 | $4.50 | $0.21 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $1.15 | $1.06 | $0.09 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.09 | $1.12 | $0.03 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $0.76 | $0.67 | $0.09 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $0.68 | $0.68 | $0.01 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $0.67 | $0.66 | $0.02 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.67 | $0.54 | $0.13 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.67 | $0.57 | $0.10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $22.91 | $22.91 | same |
| Taxi start | $2.29 | $2.10 | $0.19 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $1.53 | $1.66 | $0.12 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $0.64 | $0.60 | $0.04 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $215.23 | $94.03 | 2.29× as much |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $41.85 | $36.27 | $5.59 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $21.37 | $18.32 | $3.05 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $46.96 | $36.27 | 1.29× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $10.73 | $8.60 | $2.13 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Baghdad has 102.6 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (governorate level). That is the 2nd-highest of 8 Iraq cities we track. Iraq's national figure is 103 — about even.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Baghdad ranks against every city we track
Baghdad sits ahead of 54% of the 981 cities we track on cost of living. On city-centre rent it is ahead of 49% of 1009. Its weakest measure is clean air, ahead of only 9% of 1069.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Baghdad sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
Put Baghdad on the board
Ratio, cost and visa for Baghdad beside every other city we measure. Free, no sign-in.
Open Baghdad in the research deskOr unlock the Iraq deep-dive: visa, tax, scams, and the sub-national map.
Photo: Robert Smith (Bobsmith040689 at English Wikipedia), Public domain.
Data updated