Baghdad vs Najaf — Digital Nomad Comparison 2026

At a glance

At a glance
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Country	Iraq	Iraq
Nomad score	3.6 / 10	4.0 / 10
Cost of living	$3,138 / mo	$2,523 / mo
Internet speed	Data unavailable	Data unavailable
Weather now	33° / 23°C	34° / 25°C
Air quality (AQI)	91 Moderate	75 Moderate
Community votes	0 0	0 0

Climate averages

Yearly averages of monthly climate data

Climate averages
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Average high	32.1°C	30.6°C
Average low	19.6°C	18.6°C
Precipitation	12 mm / mo	8 mm / mo
Sunshine	320 h / mo	322 h / mo
Humidity	36%	35%
Rain days	1.8 / mo	1.3 / mo
Wind speed	18.6 km/h	21.6 km/h

IQ Baghdad · average high by month

J 18 F 19 M 24 A 32 M 38 J 44 J 45 A 46 S 41 O 34 N 25 D 19

IQ Najaf · average high by month

J 17 F 18 M 24 A 31 M 36 J 42 J 43 A 43 S 39 O 33 N 24 D 18

Air quality

Air quality
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
US AQI	91	75
PM2.5	21.3 µg/m³	12.9 µg/m³
PM10	39.8 µg/m³	25.2 µg/m³
Ozone	60 µg/m³	81 µg/m³
UV index	2.9	0

Business & Economy

Scores out of 10

Business & Economy
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Blockchain & Crypto Adoption	2.2	1.3
Local Payment Services	2.9	2.0
Startup Scene	2.4	1.4

Climate & Environment

Scores out of 10

Climate & Environment
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Air Conditioning	7.3	7.8
Green Spaces	2.5	2.4
Natural Disaster Risk	5.6	6.5
Noise Pollution	3.2	3.8
Seasonal Variety	2.6	3.0
Weather	2.1	2.7

Connectivity

Scores out of 10

Connectivity
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Mobile Network Coverage	6.2	6.7
Power Grid Reliability	3.6	4.3
Public WiFi Availability	2.6	3.0
VPN Reliability	3.9	6.5

Cost & Affordability

Scores out of 10

Cost & Affordability
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Accommodation Cost	6.5	6.9
Cost of Living	7.1	7.2
Currency Stability	3.1	4.0
Entertainment Cost	5.3	5.9
Food & Groceries	7.3	7.2
Gym Membership Cost	5.9	6.7
Transportation Cost	6.9	7.6

Culture & Entertainment

Scores out of 10

Culture & Entertainment
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Culture	7.2	5.9
Indoors Fun	3.5	2.1
Language Learning Opportunities	4.8	3.3
Local Experiences & Tours	5.1	4.3
Nightlife	2.7	1.2
Outdoors & Nature	3.9	2.5

Digital Nomad Community

Scores out of 10

Digital Nomad Community
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Nomad Events & Meetups	0.6	0.5
Nomad Friendly	1.5	1.5
Online Community Presence	0.9	0.5

Digital Nomad Essentials

Scores out of 10

Digital Nomad Essentials
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Cafes with WiFi	3.7	3.4
Coworking Spaces Availability	2.8	1.1
Digital Nomad Friendly Cafes	2.1	1.5
Digital Nomad Popularity	1.1	1.0
Internet Speed	5.4	5.5
Local SIM Card Availability	6.7	6.5

Food & Fitness

Scores out of 10

Food & Fitness
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Fitness Facilities	3.6	3.0
Food Scene	6.0	4.8
Healthy Food Options	3.9	3.4
Yoga Studios	1.8	0.9

Healthcare

Scores out of 10

Healthcare
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Healthcare	4.1	4.4
Healthcare Affordability	7.4	7.5
Healthcare Quality	3.5	4.1

Legal & Administrative

Scores out of 10

Legal & Administrative
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Digital Nomad Visa Availability	0.3	0.3
Ease of Business Registration	1.8	2.6
Ease of Opening Bank Account	1.9	1.9
Freedom of Speech	2.0	1.7
Political Stability	1.7	2.0
Tax Friendliness	2.8	4.9
Visa Ease	2.3	2.7

Quality of Life

Scores out of 10

Quality of Life
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Air Quality	2.0	3.3
Cleanliness	2.8	4.2
Environmental Quality	2.6	3.4
Family Friendly	2.3	4.8
Language Barrier	3.3	2.8
Work-Life Balance	3.3	4.8

Safety & Tolerance

Scores out of 10

Safety & Tolerance
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Female Friendly	2.2	3.2
Racial Tolerance	2.7	4.1
Safety	2.2	5.1

Transportation

Scores out of 10

Transportation
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Airport Connectivity	4.3	5.4
Cycling	1.5	2.4
Intercity Travel Options	3.5	4.4
Public Transit	2.2	3.5
Ride-sharing Services	4.2	2.9
Scooter/Bike Rental Availability	1.1	1.8
Walkability	3.3	4.8

Work Environment

Scores out of 10

Work Environment
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Coworking Quality	1.6	1.5
Freelance Ecosystem	2.0	1.7
Networking Opportunities	2.3	1.9
Remote Job Opportunities	2.0	1.9
Time Zone Favorability	6.6	6.6

Clothing

Local prices in US dollars

Clothing
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Jeans	$34 per pair	$34 per pair
Summer Dress	$42 per dress	$31 per dress
Running Shoes	$88 per pair	$73 per pair

Dining Out

Local prices in US dollars

Dining Out
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Dining Out	$92 per month	$92 per month

Entertainment

Local prices in US dollars

Entertainment
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Cinema Ticket	$11 per ticket	$9.16 per ticket

Food & Dining

Local prices in US dollars

Food & Dining
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Coffee	$3.44 per cup	$2.48 per cup
Beer	$2.67 per pint	$4.96 per pint
Meal (Inexpensive)	$6.49 per meal	$5.34 per meal
Meal (Mid-range, 2 people)	$50 per meal	$34 per meal
Fast Food Combo	$9.16 per meal	$8.02 per meal
Apples	$1.34 per kg	$1.34 per kg
Bread	$0.95 per loaf	$0.76 per loaf
Water (1.5L bottle)	$0.57 per bottle	$0.57 per bottle
Milk	$1.34 per liter	$1.26 per liter
Rice	$1.72 per kg	$1.72 per kg
Chicken Fillets	$7.25 per kg	$7.25 per kg
Beef	$14 per kg	$13 per kg
Wine (Mid-range)	$17 per bottle	$17 per bottle

Groceries

Local prices in US dollars

Groceries
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Groceries	$267 per month	$267 per month

Health Insurance

Local prices in US dollars

Health Insurance
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Health Insurance	$19 per month	$11 per month

Healthcare

Local prices in US dollars

Healthcare
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Doctor Visit (GP)	$27 per visit	$19 per visit
Pharmacy (basic meds)	$9.54 per purchase	$7.63 per purchase

Housing

Local prices in US dollars

Housing
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Housing	$344 per month	$344 per month
Apartment (1 bedroom)	$496 per month	$401 per month
Airbnb (1 month)	$1,107 per month	$992 per month
Coworking Space	$172 per month	$126 per month
Coliving Space	$649 per month	$321 per month

Internet & Mobile

Local prices in US dollars

Internet & Mobile
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Internet & Mobile	$34 per month	$27 per month

Leisure Activities

Local prices in US dollars

Leisure Activities
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Leisure Activities	$46 per month	$38 per month

Personal Care

Local prices in US dollars

Personal Care
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Haircut	$11 per visit	$6.11 per visit
Laundry	$2.29 per kg	$11 per kg

Services

Local prices in US dollars

Services
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Mobile Plan	$15 per month	$14 per month
Internet (60 Mbps+)	$50 per month	$38 per month
SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid)	$11 one-time	$11 one-time
Gym Membership	$46 per month	$42 per month
Tennis Court (Weekend)	$23 per hour	$15 per hour

Transportation

Local prices in US dollars

Transportation
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Transportation	$61 per month	$50 per month
Taxi Start	$2.29 per trip	$2.29 per trip
Taxi per km	$1.15 per km	$1.15 per km
Monthly Transport Pass	$34 per month	$34 per month
Ride-hailing (5km)	$5.34 per trip	$4.96 per trip
Gasoline	$0.57 per liter	$0.57 per liter
Scooter Rental	$9.16 per month	$7.63 per month

Utilities

Local prices in US dollars

Utilities
	IQ Baghdad	IQ Najaf
Utilities	$76 per month	$73 per month