Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $743 per month in 'aqrah vs $728 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,340 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,571 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,953 in Basra, rent included.

'aqrah costs about 2% more than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both 'aqrah and Basra are more affordable than the global median – 'aqrah 44% lower, Basra 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 IQD 5,394

$3.72 IQD 4,876

10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

$24.46 IQD 32.0K

3.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 IQD 9,224

$7.02 IQD 9,194

0.28%

Cappuccino

$2.59 IQD 3,397

$2.10 IQD 2,753

23.33%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.46 IQD 608

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 282

$0.34 IQD 449

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 IQD 3,720

$3.76 IQD 4,926

-24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 IQD 3,716

$2.71 IQD 3,553

4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,785

$1.23 IQD 1,614

10.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,028

$0.70 IQD 918

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,159

$1.42 IQD 1,854

16.20%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,342

$1.89 IQD 2,474

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.43 IQD 5,805

$7.93 IQD 10.4K

-44.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 IQD 6,260

$7.21 IQD 9,440

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 IQD 17.1K

$12.95 IQD 17.0K

0.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,566

$1.01 IQD 1,316

18.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$1.42 IQD 1,856

-19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,378

$1.04 IQD 1,364

0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 990

$0.62 IQD 814

22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 841

$0.67 IQD 879

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.62 IQD 806

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 812

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 690

$0.42 IQD 545

26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,478

$1.95 IQD 2,550

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 IQD 16.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,442

$3.12 IQD 4,090

-40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-46.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.37 IQD 482

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

$23.25 IQD 30.5K

33.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,958

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-3.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$2.31 IQD 3,032

-35.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 IQD 8,075

$6.97 IQD 9,133

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 696

$0.56 IQD 733

-5.36%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

44.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

-12.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.8 IQD 100.7K

$57.6 IQD 75.5K

33.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.87 IQD 23.4K

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

-30.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

$37.76 IQD 49.5K

-8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 IQD 49.0K

$37.25 IQD 48.8K

0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.00 IQD 22.3K

$15.13 IQD 19.8K

12.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,779

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-3.98%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$151 IQD 197.3K

$97.7 IQD 128.0K

54.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,295 IQD 4.3M

$3,869 IQD 5.1M

-14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.67 IQD 34.9K

$42.39 IQD 55.5K

-37.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

$20.70 IQD 27.1K

22.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

$71.8 IQD 94.1K

-13.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.81 IQD 53.5K

$41.04 IQD 53.8K

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.3K

$448 IQD 587.3K

-45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.9K

$136 IQD 177.7K

31.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 770.3K

$917 IQD 1.2M

-35.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 447.1K

$676 IQD 885.0K

-49.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,608 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$777 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 IQD 1.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for 'aqrah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Basra: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in 'aqrah versus $448 in Basra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in 'aqrah versus $24.00 in Basra. Groceries tell a different story – $158 in 'aqrah vs $213 in Basra – so 'aqrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

'aqrah vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'aqrah costs about 2% more than Basra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,115 per month in 'aqrah and $1,092 in Basra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Basra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $743 in 'aqrah and $728 in Basra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Basra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $743 in 'aqrah and $728 in Basra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Basra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Basra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, 'aqrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.