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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Al Kut vs $739 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,115 per month in Al Kut vs $1,368 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,511 per month in Al Kut vs $1,996 in Basra, rent included.

Al Kut is about 3% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Basra are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 46% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 IQD 5,200

$3.79 IQD 4,959

4.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.91 IQD 32.6K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

-1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 IQD 9,110

$6.74 IQD 8,831

3.26%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,407

$2.03 IQD 2,656

28.08%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.47 IQD 612

-14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 284

$0.35 IQD 452

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 IQD 3,714

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,680

$2.59 IQD 3,391

8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,806

$1.23 IQD 1,608

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,047

$0.70 IQD 922

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 IQD 2,022

$1.46 IQD 1,906

5.48%

Eggs

$1.60 IQD 2,089

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 IQD 5,720

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-47.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 IQD 4,589

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-49.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,205

$1.05 IQD 1,370

-12.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,319

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-24.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,125

$1.00 IQD 1,316

-14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.59 IQD 774

25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 906

$0.68 IQD 894

1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.60 IQD 789

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 889

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-12.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 689

$0.41 IQD 542

29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,469

$1.95 IQD 2,559

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,431

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-38.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,706

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-47.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.37 IQD 479

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

34.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,082

$2.28 IQD 2,992

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-34.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 IQD 7,889

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-13.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 740

$0.56 IQD 732

1.79%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

43.01%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-13.52%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

33.75%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-30.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.68 IQD 45.4K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-10.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 IQD 49.0K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

2.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

6.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 IQD 9,820

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-4.09%

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

$153 IQD 200.2K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

55.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 IQD 35.1K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-37.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

25.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.0K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-45.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.0K

$136 IQD 178.0K

31.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.1K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-36.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 456.6K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-46.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,019 IQD 1.3M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

-36.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.7K

$783 IQD 1.0M

-35.00%

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 Kut: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Al Kut 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al Kut versus $25.00 in Basra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $148 vs $212 – making Al Kut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kut vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $718 in Al Kut, $739 in Basra – roughly 3% apart. Basra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,077 per month in Al Kut 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 Al Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Basra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al Kut and $25.00 in Basra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Basra at $739. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kut – 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 Al Kut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.