Baghdad vs Vilnius Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Baghdad leads on CPI (26.5 vs 41.7, NYC=100), Baghdad leads on rent index, and Vilnius leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Baghdad
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Purchasing Power (132% gap, Vilnius ahead); Transport (100% gap, Vilnius ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $199 lower in Baghdad than in Vilnius (~32% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $199 (favoring Baghdad).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Baghdad | CPI 26.5 vs 41.7 (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 | Vilnius | One-way ticket 0.75 vs 657.23 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Vilnius | Utilities (85m²) 39.01 vs 43230 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Vilnius | Internet 40.31 vs 24759 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Baghdad | Restaurant index 26 vs 38 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Baghdad | Avg net salary 2274160 vs 3707.6 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Vilnius | PP index 65 vs 28 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Purchasing Power: Vilnius leads with a 132% gap.
PP index 65 vs 28 (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 Vilnius.
- Remote Workers: Baghdad — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Baghdad (~57% gap).
- Budget Living: Baghdad — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Baghdad is the overall cost winner on CPI (~57% lower everyday-cost index than Vilnius).
- Housing: Baghdad leads on rent index (28% gap).
- Food / groceries: Baghdad is lower (24% gap).
- Purchasing power: Vilnius scores higher (132% gap).
- Largest category gap: Purchasing Power (132%), favoring Vilnius.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$199 cheaper in Baghdad.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 26.5/41.7, rent 16.5/21.2, purchasing power 28/65. 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: 2026-08-22
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.