Baghdad vs Kingston Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Baghdad vs Kingston: everyday costs favor Baghdad (~45% CPI gap), housing index favors Baghdad, wage stretch favors Kingston. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Baghdad
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (87% gap, Baghdad ahead); Utilities (85% gap, Kingston ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $197 lower in Baghdad than in Kingston (~31% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $197 (favoring Baghdad).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Baghdad | CPI 26.5 vs 38.4 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Baghdad | Rent index 16.5 vs 21.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | Baghdad | Groceries index 36.7 vs 45.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Kingston | One-way ticket 108.36 vs 657.23 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Kingston | Utilities (85m²) 6656.8 vs 43230 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Kingston | Internet 6528.06 vs 24759 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Baghdad | Restaurant index 26 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Baghdad | Avg net salary 2274160 vs 305647.6 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Kingston | PP index 31.4 vs 28 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Baghdad leads with a 87% gap.
Avg net salary 2274160 vs 305647.6 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Baghdad — Lower housing / rent index (28% gap).
- Families: Baghdad — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Baghdad; purchasing power favors Kingston.
- Remote Workers: Baghdad — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Baghdad (~45% gap).
- Budget Living: Baghdad — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Baghdad is the overall cost winner on CPI (~45% lower everyday-cost index than Kingston).
- Housing: Baghdad leads on rent index (28% gap).
- Food / groceries: Baghdad is lower (24% gap).
- Purchasing power: Kingston scores higher (12% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (87%), favoring Baghdad.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$197 cheaper in Baghdad.
Analysis
Baghdad versus Kingston is not a single number. With a 45% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Baghdad, while housing follows Baghdad's rent index. Purchasing power (28 vs 31.4) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.