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: $923 in Al Fallujah versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,381 in Al Fallujah versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,840 in Al Fallujah versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Al Fallujah is roughly 25% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Fallujah 31% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 IQD 7,056

$3.79 IQD 4,959

42.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.44 IQD 47.7K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

44.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 IQD 10.1K

$6.74 IQD 8,831

14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.95 IQD 3,866

$2.03 IQD 2,656

45.32%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.47 IQD 612

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.35 IQD 452

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 IQD 4,549

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,742

$2.59 IQD 3,391

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,704

$1.23 IQD 1,608

5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,037

$0.70 IQD 922

12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,069

$1.46 IQD 1,906

8.22%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,326

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 IQD 5,847

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 IQD 6,408

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-29.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 IQD 18.1K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

5.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,660

$1.05 IQD 1,370

20.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-10.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.00 IQD 1,316

6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 979

$0.59 IQD 774

27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.68 IQD 894

-4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.60 IQD 789

3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 825

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 865

$0.41 IQD 542

60.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,716

$1.95 IQD 2,559

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 IQD 17.7K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,406

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-39.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,868

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-44.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.37 IQD 479

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.92 IQD 40.5K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

33.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 IQD 5,072

$2.28 IQD 2,992

69.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,017

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-31.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 IQD 9,788

$6.93 IQD 9,071

7.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 703

$0.56 IQD 732

-3.57%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

53.27%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-10.72%

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

$176 IQD 230.7K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

210.83%

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

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.34 IQD 47.6K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

6.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,968

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-2.69%

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

$167 IQD 219.2K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

70.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,626 IQD 4.7M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-4.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.18 IQD 36.9K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-33.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 IQD 39.7K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

47.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 IQD 84.4K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.21 IQD 57.9K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 317.6K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.5K

$136 IQD 178.0K

30.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.7K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 IQD 447.4K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-47.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Al Fallujah and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al Fallujah vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $212, 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 25% 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 $1,384 in Al Fallujah and $1,109 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: $243 in Al Fallujah versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Al Fallujah versus $98.0 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 $739 in Basra versus $923 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 25% less than in Al Fallujah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.