Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Baghdad vs Sana'a

Baghdad vs Sana'a

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Sana'a 8% cheaper Baghdad +26 Mbps Moderate / Low

Baghdad

Tatiana Mokhova/Unsplash

Sana'a

ALMWALD ALEZZEY/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,697

Baghdad

$1,568

Sana'a

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Baghdad

Low

Sana'a

Air Quality

5/5

Baghdad

5/5

Sana'a

Healthcare

High

Baghdad

High

Sana'a

Population

8.1m

Baghdad

1.7m

Sana'a

Baghdad (Iraq) and Sana'a (Yemen) are both in Middle East, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Sana'a has a modest cost advantage at $1568/mo compared to Baghdad's $1697/mo — a 8% gap that matters over time.

For families, Baghdad costs $2352.314611633442/mo compared to Sana'a's $3817.907550643994/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Baghdad has a clear edge at 36 Mbps (#147 globally) compared to Sana'a's 10 Mbps (#185).

Quality of Life

Baghdad has a stronger safety profile than Sana'a, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Baghdad and Sana'a.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Baghdad is March (around 21 degrees, 0mm rain, score 406), while Sana'a peaks in May (23 degrees, 0mm rain, score 395). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

BaghdadSana'a

Nomad$1,697/mo$1,568/mo

Expat$1,132/mo$1,398/mo

Local$672/mo$1,091/mo

Family$2,352/mo$3,818/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

BaghdadSana'a

City Speed

36 Mbps#147

10 Mbps#185

Country Speed33 Mbps11 Mbps

Environment & Health

BaghdadSana'a

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateLowHigh

Humidity2138

Quality of Life

BaghdadSana'a

SafetyModerateLow

HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Baghdad

Sana'a

Jan

16°

0mm366

18°

0mm375

Feb

17°

0mm366

22°

0mm363

Mar

21°

0mm406

22°

0mm361

Apr

30°

0mm386

23°

0mm352

May

34°

0mm356

23°

0mm395

Jun

43°

0mm346

23°

0mm395

Jul

43°

0mm346

24°

0mm383

Aug

43°

0mm346

22°

3mm347

Sep

38°

0mm356

21°

0mm395

Oct

32°

0mm366

20°

0mm375

Nov

23°

0mm406

18°

0mm375

Dec

16°

0mm366

19°

0mm375

Who Should Choose Baghdad?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2352.314611633442/mo for families
Major city energy with 8.1m residents
Peak season in March — 21 degrees, score 406

Who Should Choose Sana'a?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in May — 23 degrees, score 395

Overall Verdict

The data favors Baghdad as the more well-rounded choice. At $1697/mo versus Sana'a's $1568/mo, that is a 8% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Baghdad Sana'a

ItemBaghdadSana'aDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$4.72$5.99

21%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.85$17.97

21%

McMeal or equivalent combo$8$9

11%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.45$2.9

16%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.83$2

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.5$1.8

49%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.46$1.05

56%

Water (0.33L)$0.2$0.72

72%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1$2.01

50%

White bread (500g)$0.78$1.2

35%

White rice (1kg)$1.21$3.65

67%

Eggs (12)$1.64$3.13

48%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.13$8.79

53%

Beef round (1kg)$9.96$22.82

56%

Local cheese (1kg)$4.29$7.13

40%

Apples (1kg)$0.85$4.99

83%

Bananas (1kg)$0.96$1.57

39%

Oranges (1kg)$0.89$4.26

79%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.61$2.06

70%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.6$1.67

64%

Onions (1kg)$0.51$1.68

70%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.73$0.53

27%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.52$0.91

43%

Wine, mid-range bottle$12.3$6.99

43%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.52—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.26$3.99

43%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.71$3.2

47%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.35$0.6

42%

Monthly transport pass$25.2$54.94

54%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3$2

33%

Taxi per 1km$2$3.99

50%

Taxi 1hr waiting$5.02$4.79

Gasoline (1L)$0.35$1.79

80%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$13,959.79$7,988.02

43%

Toyota Corolla (new)$16,831.23$31,952.08

47%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$123.31$47.04

62%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$58.46$36.93

37%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.09$0.04

56%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$34.73$85.55

59%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$14.24$27.31

48%

Cinema, 1 ticket$7—

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$142.33$46.27

67%

International primary school/yr$1,709.02$2,282.22

25%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$25.72$66.57

61%

Summer dress (chain store)$29.61$97.87

70%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$46.38$76.26

39%

Men's leather business shoes$35.95$56.47

36%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$432.77$204.77

53%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$251.24$115.59

54%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$798$486.91

39%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$459.25$283.45

38%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,099.93$2,786.35

25%

Price per m², outside centre$928.52$1,015.36

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$520.92$599.5

13%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.38$12.5

33%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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