Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fallujah and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fallujah and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $715 in Al Fallujah versus $965 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,059 in Al Fallujah versus $1,480 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,404 in Al Fallujah versus $1,995 in Basra.

Living in Al Fallujah costs roughly 26% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Fallujah 48% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 IQD 6,398

$4.66 IQD 6,109

4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.81 IQD 44.3K

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

8.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-2.30%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,994

$2.67 IQD 3,499

14.23%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.47 IQD 610

-14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 314

$0.34 IQD 448

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 IQD 5,080

$3.81 IQD 4,987

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 IQD 4,940

$4.29 IQD 5,619

-12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 IQD 1,348

$1.12 IQD 1,467

-8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,095

$0.65 IQD 851

29.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,050

$1.40 IQD 1,830

12.14%

Eggs

$1.82 IQD 2,388

$1.87 IQD 2,448

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 IQD 5,100

$7.61 IQD 9,963

-48.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,281

$6.18 IQD 8,094

-22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 IQD 18.7K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,473

$0.97 IQD 1,277

16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.02 IQD 1,339

3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 972

$0.65 IQD 856

13.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 930

$0.74 IQD 975

-4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.66 IQD 858

3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 809

$0.88 IQD 1,156

-29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 859

$0.38 IQD 499

73.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 IQD 2,332

$2.13 IQD 2,789

-16.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 IQD 17.6K

$6.99 IQD 9,160

92.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 IQD 2,909

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-25.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 IQD 2,994

$3.71 IQD 4,853

-38.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 720

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 IQD 2,922

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 IQD 2,045

$2.33 IQD 3,056

-33.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 IQD 9,736

$7.16 IQD 9,383

3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 797

$0.55 IQD 726

10.91%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

41.96%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

-14.73%

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

$211 IQD 276.8K

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

312.77%

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

$21.33 IQD 27.9K

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

-16.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

8.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

$7.51 IQD 9,837

41.54%

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

$170 IQD 222.5K

$124 IQD 162.5K

36.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,470 IQD 4.5M

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

-7.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.30 IQD 38.4K

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

-41.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 IQD 49.5K

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

85.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 IQD 96.8K

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

-5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.27 IQD 63.2K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 IQD 605.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 IQD 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 IQD 827.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.67

-27.34%

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

Last update for Al Fallujah: September 5, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Al Fallujah vs $31.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $194, with Al Fallujah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fallujah vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fallujah wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Basra. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Fallujah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,072 in Al Fallujah and $1,447 in Basra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $170 in Al Fallujah versus $124 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Fallujah – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $715 in Al Fallujah versus $965 in Basra, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Fallujah but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Al Fallujah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al Fallujah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.