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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Al Kufah versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,043 in Al Kufah versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Al Kufah versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 12% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kufah 51% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 IQD 7,142

$3.81 IQD 4,990

43.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 IQD 47.6K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

46.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 IQD 9,815

$7.02 IQD 9,193

6.84%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,990

$2.06 IQD 2,695

48.06%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.44 IQD 572

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 266

$0.35 IQD 452

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 IQD 4,375

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,711

$2.70 IQD 3,532

4.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,454

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.70 IQD 919

-5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 IQD 2,135

$1.41 IQD 1,850

15.60%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,283

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-9.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.24 IQD 2,934

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-72.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 IQD 4,038

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-57.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 IQD 13.3K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-22.88%

Apples (1kg)

$0.52 IQD 683

$1.01 IQD 1,321

-48.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,209

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-35.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-30.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 646

$0.63 IQD 820

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 IQD 527

$0.71 IQD 932

-43.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 401

$0.57 IQD 744

-45.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 884

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 545

$0.41 IQD 541

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,566

$1.88 IQD 2,458

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

8.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 IQD 2,388

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-38.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IQD 2,771

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-43.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 488

$0.39 IQD 516

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

33.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,068

$2.31 IQD 3,028

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,004

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$6.76 IQD 8,847

14.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.58 IQD 762

-6.90%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

51.06%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-15.38%

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

$40.32 IQD 52.8K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

-28.74%

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

$26.29 IQD 34.4K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-41.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-31.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,724

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-4.13%

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

$87.4 IQD 114.4K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

-9.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,386 IQD 3.1M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-36.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.39 IQD 28.0K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-48.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

50.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.88 IQD 26.0K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-72.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 IQD 275.6K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-53.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.0K

$133 IQD 174.1K

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 IQD 555.4K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-53.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 IQD 379.6K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-56.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,193 IQD 4.2M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

101.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,688 IQD 2.2M

$800 IQD 1.0M

110.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 IQD 1.0M

$763 IQD 998.7K

1.71%

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 Kufah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Al Kufah and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al Kufah vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $148 vs $213, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Kufah pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $210 in Al Kufah versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $25.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $656 per month in Al Kufah versus $742 in Basra – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Al Kufah versus $742 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah 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 Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.