Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Al-mawsil versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Al-mawsil versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Al-mawsil versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 1% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 45% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 IQD 9,781

$3.81 IQD 4,990

96.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.10 IQD 15.8K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

-51.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 IQD 7,683

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-16.38%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 977

$2.06 IQD 2,695

-63.59%

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

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.44 IQD 572

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 218

$0.35 IQD 452

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 IQD 1,198

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-76.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 IQD 1,943

$2.70 IQD 3,532

-45.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,207

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.70 IQD 919

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,378

$1.41 IQD 1,850

-25.53%

Eggs

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$1.92 IQD 2,512

2.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,521

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,326

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-54.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 IQD 9,319

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-46.06%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,203

$1.01 IQD 1,321

-8.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,126

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-39.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,012

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-24.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.63 IQD 820

-41.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 543

$0.71 IQD 932

-42.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.57 IQD 744

-19.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 679

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-37.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 635

$0.41 IQD 541

17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,492

$1.88 IQD 2,458

1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-53.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 IQD 2,518

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-49.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.39 IQD 516

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

34.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 IQD 2,850

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 IQD 2,646

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-8.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 IQD 4,391

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-50.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 461

$0.58 IQD 762

-39.66%

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

$15.6K IQD 20.4M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

17.65%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-23.83%

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

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

74.94%

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

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-28.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-29.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.87 IQD 31.3K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-35.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

21.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 IQD 15.0K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

48.26%

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

$198 IQD 258.7K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

103.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$701 IQD 917.6K

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-81.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-66.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.51 IQD 22.9K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

-13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.05 IQD 24.9K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

-53.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 316.0K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-46.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.4K

$133 IQD 174.1K

32.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.7K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.4K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-47.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$607 IQD 795.3K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-20.37%

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-mawsil: June 2, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-mawsil and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $213 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

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-mawsil vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Basra earns 26% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Al-mawsil versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Al-mawsil versus $97.0 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Al-mawsil versus $742 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.