Baghdad vs Rabat Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Rabat leads on CPI (24.3 vs 26.5, NYC=100), Rabat leads on rent index, and Baghdad leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Rabat
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (99% gap, Rabat ahead); Utilities (99% gap, Rabat ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $84 lower in Rabat than in Baghdad (~13% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $84 (favoring Rabat).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Rabat | CPI 24.3 vs 26.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Rabat | Rent index 14.2 vs 16.5 (lower is better) |
| Food | Rabat | Groceries index 32.4 vs 36.7 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Rabat | One-way ticket 4.34 vs 657.23 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Rabat | Utilities (85m²) 281.16 vs 43230 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Rabat | Internet 194.73 vs 24759 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Rabat | Restaurant index 22 vs 26 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Baghdad | Avg net salary 2274160 vs 17186.4 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Baghdad | PP index 28 vs 28 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Rabat leads with a 99% gap.
One-way ticket 4.34 vs 657.23 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Rabat — Lower housing / rent index (14% gap).
- Families: Rabat — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Rabat; purchasing power favors Baghdad.
- Remote Workers: Rabat — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Rabat (~8% gap).
- Budget Living: Rabat — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Rabat is the overall cost winner on CPI (~8% lower everyday-cost index than Baghdad).
- Housing: Rabat leads on rent index (14% gap).
- Food / groceries: Rabat is lower (12% gap).
- Purchasing power: Baghdad scores higher (0% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (99%), favoring Rabat.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$84 cheaper in Rabat.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 26.5/24.3, rent 16.5/14.2, purchasing power 28/28. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
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.