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 $738 per month in Al Kut vs $742 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,140 per month in Al Kut vs $1,351 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Al Kut vs $1,960 in Basra, rent included.

Al Kut is about 1% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 IQD 5,412

$3.81 IQD 4,990

8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

1.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

Cappuccino

$2.57 IQD 3,364

$2.06 IQD 2,695

24.76%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.44 IQD 572

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 268

$0.35 IQD 452

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 IQD 3,768

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,687

$2.70 IQD 3,532

4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,773

$1.23 IQD 1,607

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,012

$0.70 IQD 919

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 IQD 2,034

$1.41 IQD 1,850

9.93%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,004

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-20.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 IQD 6,046

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-42.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 IQD 4,654

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-50.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 IQD 17.0K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,124

$1.01 IQD 1,321

-14.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,385

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.63 IQD 820

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 899

$0.71 IQD 932

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 890

$0.57 IQD 744

19.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 818

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.41 IQD 541

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$1.88 IQD 2,458

3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.39 IQD 516

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

32.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,088

$2.31 IQD 3,028

2.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,033

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-29.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 IQD 7,748

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-12.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.58 IQD 762

-3.45%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

44.86%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-13.23%

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

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

35.28%

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

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-30.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.63 IQD 45.3K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.05 IQD 47.2K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

10.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

1.29%

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

$149 IQD 195.3K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

53.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,277 IQD 4.3M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-13.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-34.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 IQD 81.1K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-15.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.71 IQD 54.6K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.1K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-47.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$133 IQD 174.1K

36.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 IQD 746.3K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-48.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$990 IQD 1.3M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

-37.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.8K

$800 IQD 1.0M

-36.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Al Kut versus $455 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 $213 – 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: $738 in Al Kut, $742 in Basra – roughly 1% apart. Basra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,107 per month in Al Kut and $1,113 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 $738, than in Basra at $742. 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.