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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $810 per month in Al Hillah vs $739 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,368 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,718 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,996 in Basra, rent included.

Al Hillah costs about 10% more than Basra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Al Hillah and Basra are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 39% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 IQD 7,132

$3.79 IQD 4,959

43.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

22.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 IQD 8,019

$6.74 IQD 8,831

-9.20%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,005

$2.03 IQD 2,656

50.74%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.47 IQD 612

-14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.35 IQD 452

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,833

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,793

$2.59 IQD 3,391

11.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,800

$1.23 IQD 1,608

11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 963

$0.70 IQD 922

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$1.46 IQD 1,906

13.01%

Eggs

$1.80 IQD 2,359

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 IQD 5,874

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,290

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-30.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.05 IQD 1,370

17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,564

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-11.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,368

$1.00 IQD 1,316

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 899

$0.59 IQD 774

16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 863

$0.68 IQD 894

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.60 IQD 789

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 778

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-24.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.41 IQD 542

34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$1.95 IQD 2,559

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 IQD 18.1K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,415

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-39.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,840

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-44.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.37 IQD 479

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

182.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,092

$2.28 IQD 2,992

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,031

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-31.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 IQD 4,414

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-51.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 703

$0.56 IQD 732

-3.57%

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

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

32.61%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-10.37%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

33.79%

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

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-41.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.00 IQD 51.1K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

-35.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

23.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-0.64%

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

$95.6 IQD 125.2K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

-2.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$779 IQD 1.0M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-79.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.22 IQD 35.6K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-36.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.73 IQD 36.3K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

34.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 IQD 80.7K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-12.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 IQD 476.8K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 IQD 256.8K

$136 IQD 178.0K

44.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 IQD 874.0K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 IQD 410.0K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-51.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 IQD 2.3M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

8.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 IQD 713.5K

$783 IQD 1.0M

-30.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 IQD 677.5K

$752 IQD 985.3K

-31.23%

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 Hillah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Al Hillah versus $445 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 45% higher in Basra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Al Hillah versus $25.00 in Basra. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Al Hillah vs $212 in Basra – so Al Hillah 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

Al Hillah vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al Hillah is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,215 per month in Al Hillah and $1,109 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.

Public transport costs about 183% less in Basra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.6 per month in Al Hillah and $98.0 in Basra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Basra, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Al Hillah at $810. In Basra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Hillah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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