Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $684 per month in Al-'amarah vs $742 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,091 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,351 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,498 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,960 in Basra, rent included.

Al-'amarah is about 8% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-'amarah and Basra are more affordable than the global median – Al-'amarah 49% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 IQD 5,217

$3.81 IQD 4,990

4.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 IQD 9,165

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,348

$2.06 IQD 2,695

24.27%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.44 IQD 572

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 239

$0.35 IQD 452

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 IQD 3,863

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 IQD 3,723

$2.70 IQD 3,532

5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 IQD 2,342

$1.23 IQD 1,607

45.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 977

$0.70 IQD 919

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,416

$1.41 IQD 1,850

-23.40%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-20.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,996

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-43.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,285

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-33.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 IQD 17.2K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-0.61%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 IQD 1,118

$1.01 IQD 1,321

-15.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,375

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-26.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,125

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.63 IQD 820

-41.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.71 IQD 932

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 IQD 450

$0.57 IQD 744

-40.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 882

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.41 IQD 541

14.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,534

$1.88 IQD 2,458

3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,417

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-37.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,854

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-42.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.39 IQD 516

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

33.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 IQD 2,206

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,994

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-31.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 IQD 7,907

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 IQD 402

$0.58 IQD 762

-46.55%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

42.63%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-14.04%

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

$77.0 IQD 100.9K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

36.14%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-29.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-11.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.53 IQD 29.5K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.00 IQD 22.3K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

9.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-0.77%

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

$149 IQD 195.4K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

53.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-35.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.83 IQD 32.5K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-17.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.70 IQD 53.3K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 IQD 435.4K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 173.6K

$133 IQD 174.1K

-0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 IQD 586.7K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-51.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 IQD 453.8K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-48.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$583 IQD 763.6K

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

-63.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 IQD 647.3K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-35.19%

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 Al-'amarah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Al-'amarah versus $455 in Basra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 54% higher in Basra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah versus $25.00 in Basra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $213 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Al-'amarah vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Basra is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,026 per month in Al-'amarah and $1,113 in Basra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 39% more in Basra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah and $25.00 in Basra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Basra at $742. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – 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 Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.