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: $677 in Al Kufah versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Al Kufah versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,434 in Al Kufah versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 8% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kufah 49% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 IQD 6,865

$3.79 IQD 4,959

38.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.37 IQD 47.6K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

43.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 IQD 10.1K

$6.74 IQD 8,831

14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.99 IQD 3,919

$2.03 IQD 2,656

47.29%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.47 IQD 612

-17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 276

$0.35 IQD 452

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 IQD 4,539

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 IQD 3,858

$2.59 IQD 3,391

13.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,416

$1.23 IQD 1,608

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 801

$0.70 IQD 922

-12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$1.46 IQD 1,906

7.53%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,262

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-7.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-72.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 IQD 3,836

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-57.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 IQD 12.6K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

-26.43%

Apples (1kg)

$0.52 IQD 674

$1.05 IQD 1,370

-50.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,267

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 952

$1.00 IQD 1,316

-27.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 645

$0.59 IQD 774

-16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 495

$0.68 IQD 894

-44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 402

$0.60 IQD 789

-48.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 890

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-12.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 587

$0.41 IQD 542

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,555

$1.95 IQD 2,559

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 IQD 18.0K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-40.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,733

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-46.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.37 IQD 479

-5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.86 IQD 40.4K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

33.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,036

$2.28 IQD 2,992

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-32.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 IQD 10.1K

$6.93 IQD 9,071

11.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.56 IQD 732

-3.57%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

51.91%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-10.75%

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

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

-29.99%

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

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-41.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

-28.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

6.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 IQD 9,765

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-4.60%

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

$86.1 IQD 112.8K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

-12.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 IQD 3.1M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-37.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.91 IQD 27.4K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-50.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.43 IQD 38.5K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

43.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.98 IQD 26.2K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-71.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.57 IQD 36.1K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

-32.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 IQD 279.0K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.0K

$136 IQD 178.0K

33.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 IQD 558.5K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-53.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 IQD 387.1K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-54.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,335 IQD 1.7M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

-16.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$380 IQD 497.8K

$783 IQD 1.0M

-51.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,014 IQD 1.3M

$752 IQD 985.3K

34.78%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Al Kufah and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 35% 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 $145 vs $212, 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Al Kufah, 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: $213 in Al Kufah versus $445 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 $677 per month in Al Kufah versus $739 in Basra – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $677 in Al Kufah versus $739 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 9% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.