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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Al-musayyib versus $732 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Al-musayyib versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,834 in Al-musayyib versus $1,969 in Basra.

Living in Al-musayyib is roughly 20% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 35% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,889

$3.85 IQD 5,038

36.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

$24.88 IQD 32.6K

47.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 IQD 9,828

$7.03 IQD 9,205

6.83%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,077

$2.06 IQD 2,696

50.97%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.44 IQD 574

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 263

$0.32 IQD 413

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,518

$3.80 IQD 4,982

-9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,856

$2.71 IQD 3,551

8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$1.19 IQD 1,558

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,093

$0.70 IQD 920

18.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,061

$1.47 IQD 1,927

6.80%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.83 IQD 2,401

-14.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,023

$7.95 IQD 10.4K

-42.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,071

$7.05 IQD 9,238

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

-12.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.01 IQD 1,325

12.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,461

$1.40 IQD 1,837

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.04 IQD 1,363

0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.59 IQD 774

-1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.69 IQD 900

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.57 IQD 746

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 784

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.38 IQD 500

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$1.88 IQD 2,468

13.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$13.04 IQD 17.1K

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,326

$2.99 IQD 3,916

-40.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,747

$3.77 IQD 4,934

-44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.37 IQD 481

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

37.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,103

$2.33 IQD 3,051

67.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,933

$2.30 IQD 3,017

-35.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 IQD 9,907

$6.83 IQD 8,942

10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 699

$0.59 IQD 778

-10.17%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

46.32%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$22.5K IQD 29.5M

-11.23%

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

$179 IQD 234.1K

$57.8 IQD 75.6K

209.42%

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

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

$25.61 IQD 33.5K

2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

$38.89 IQD 50.9K

3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

$36.10 IQD 47.3K

2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$15.35 IQD 20.1K

7.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,840

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-2.59%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$95.9 IQD 125.6K

73.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-7.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

$42.37 IQD 55.5K

-33.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

$20.39 IQD 26.7K

51.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

$71.5 IQD 93.7K

-10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.6K

$443 IQD 580.2K

-44.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 229.9K

$136 IQD 177.8K

29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 752.9K

$929 IQD 1.2M

-38.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.8K

$668 IQD 875.3K

-48.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,604 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$772 IQD 1.0M

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-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Last update for Basra: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $443 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-musayyib vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $211, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-musayyib and Basra differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($878 vs $732 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,317 in Al-musayyib and $1,099 in Basra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $244 in Al-musayyib versus $443 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib versus $95.9 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-musayyib pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Basra gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.