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: $903 in Al Fallujah versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Al Fallujah versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,888 in Al Fallujah versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Al Fallujah is roughly 22% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Fallujah 33% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.20 IQD 6,811

$3.81 IQD 4,990

36.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.76 IQD 48.1K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

48.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$7.02 IQD 9,193

11.68%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,002

$2.06 IQD 2,695

48.54%

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

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.44 IQD 572

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 280

$0.35 IQD 452

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 IQD 4,639

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 IQD 3,647

$2.70 IQD 3,532

2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,770

$1.23 IQD 1,607

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,028

$0.70 IQD 919

12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,066

$1.41 IQD 1,850

12.06%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,247

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-10.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 IQD 5,818

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-44.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 IQD 6,553

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-30.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

7.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,667

$1.01 IQD 1,321

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,317

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$0.63 IQD 820

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.71 IQD 932

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 826

$0.57 IQD 744

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 816

$0.41 IQD 541

51.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 IQD 2,730

$1.88 IQD 2,458

10.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,329

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,769

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-44.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.39 IQD 516

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.68 IQD 40.2K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

32.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,084

$2.31 IQD 3,028

67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,947

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-32.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

$6.76 IQD 8,847

13.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.58 IQD 762

-3.45%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

53.32%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-15.59%

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

$177 IQD 232.0K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

213.11%

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

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.43 IQD 52.9K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

5.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.60 IQD 47.9K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 IQD 9,850

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-2.97%

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

$168 IQD 220.6K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

73.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,601 IQD 4.7M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-4.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-30.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 IQD 39.5K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

48.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 IQD 85.3K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.19 IQD 56.6K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 322.2K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.5K

$133 IQD 174.1K

32.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.6K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.9K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-48.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

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 Fallujah: June 1, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Al Fallujah and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al Fallujah vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $213, 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

Basra wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Al Fallujah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,355 in Al Fallujah and $1,113 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Al Fallujah versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $168 in Al Fallujah versus $97.0 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al Fallujah pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $742 in Basra versus $903 in Al Fallujah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Al Fallujah. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Al Fallujah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.