Baghdad vs Mosul: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Mosul costs roughly 55% less than Baghdad. Baghdad scores significantly higher on safety — worth weighing against the cost gap. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Baghdad is approximately 7% less expensive than Mosul based on cost of living including rent. This makes Baghdad a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Baghdad has a FIRE Score of 75/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 40, suggesting moderate safety levels.
Recommended profile: Baghdad is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Baghdad
Baghdad is a cheap place to live and not much else, with a cost of living index of 35/100 and a 1-bedroom in the center at $150/mo, yet a safety index of 40/100 and an air quality index of 120 make daily life a grind. The local average net salary of $500/mo keeps most people on a tight leash, and a small expat community plus limited English proficiency means you are largely on your own. The FIRE score of 75/100 is the one genuine draw, but a retiree score of 46/100 and an overall expat score of 50/100 tell the real story. Come for the math, not the lifestyle.
About Iraq
A Level 4 do-not-travel advisory, the same rating given to active war zones, outweighs the $521.80 monthly budget that undercuts most US rents alone. No retirement or digital nomad visa exists, English is scarce, and the expat friendliness is not measured in the available data. Cheap living means nothing without a legal pathway or basic safety floor. Skip this one entirely.
$2,687/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Mosul
Mosul is a cheap city in the most literal sense: a 1-bedroom in the center runs $160/mo and an inexpensive restaurant meal costs $3, yet the average local net salary is just $481/mo, so even a budget tier of $373/mo eats most of a paycheck. The savings are real for anyone earning remotely, but a safety index of 30/100, a crime index of 70/100, an air quality index of 95, poor healthcare, limited English, and no expat community make daily life a grind rather than a bargain. With internet at 5 Mbps and a digital nomad score of 41/100, this is not a remote-work base. Come only if you have a specific reason to be here, not because the rent is low.
About Iraq
A Level 4 do-not-travel advisory, the same rating given to active war zones, outweighs the $521.80 monthly budget that undercuts most US rents alone. No retirement or digital nomad visa exists, English is scarce, and the expat friendliness is not measured in the available data. Cheap living means nothing without a legal pathway or basic safety floor. Skip this one entirely.
$2,520/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Battle of Lifestyles
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| Metric | Baghdad | Mosul |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $150 | $159.77 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $50 | $115.42 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $450 | $279.01 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $150 | $283.09 |
| Safety Index | 40 | 30 |
| Internet Speed | 25Mbps | 5Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Baghdad | Mosul |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $374/mo | $517/mo |
| Excluding rent | $324/mo | $402/mo |
| Rent | $50.00/mo | $115/mo |
| Groceries | $85.00/mo | $90.00/mo |
| Dining out | $75.00/mo | $34.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $99.00/mo | $62.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $65.00/mo | $130/mo |
| Transport | N/A | $86.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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