Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in An Najaf vs $732 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $997 per month in An Najaf vs $1,351 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,317 per month in An Najaf vs $1,969 in Basra, rent included.

An Najaf is about 8% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Basra are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 50% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 IQD 5,251

$3.85 IQD 5,037

4.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 IQD 30.4K

$24.88 IQD 32.6K

-6.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 IQD 6,311

$7.03 IQD 9,205

-31.44%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,500

$2.06 IQD 2,696

29.61%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.44 IQD 574

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.32 IQD 413

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,462

$3.80 IQD 4,982

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,840

$2.71 IQD 3,551

8.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,804

$1.19 IQD 1,558

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,021

$0.70 IQD 920

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$1.47 IQD 1,927

6.80%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,258

$1.83 IQD 2,401

-6.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.38 IQD 3,121

$7.95 IQD 10.4K

-70.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,281

$7.05 IQD 9,238

-31.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 IQD 13.8K

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

-20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,658

$1.01 IQD 1,325

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,513

$1.40 IQD 1,837

-17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.04 IQD 1,363

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 963

$0.59 IQD 774

25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$0.69 IQD 900

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$0.57 IQD 746

19.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.38 IQD 500

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,951

$1.88 IQD 2,468

-20.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$13.04 IQD 17.1K

4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,404

$2.99 IQD 3,916

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,719

$3.77 IQD 4,934

-44.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.37 IQD 481

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

52.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 IQD 2,515

$2.33 IQD 3,051

-17.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$2.30 IQD 3,017

-35.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 IQD 6,398

$6.83 IQD 8,942

-28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 IQD 632

$0.59 IQD 778

-18.64%

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

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

-14.09%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$22.5K IQD 29.5M

-12.87%

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

$59.8 IQD 78.3K

$57.8 IQD 75.6K

3.44%

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

$22.94 IQD 30.0K

$25.61 IQD 33.5K

-10.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 IQD 45.2K

$38.89 IQD 50.9K

-11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$36.10 IQD 47.3K

-18.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 IQD 19.7K

$15.35 IQD 20.1K

-1.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-0.52%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$95.9 IQD 125.6K

72.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-76.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.27 IQD 21.3K

$42.37 IQD 55.5K

-61.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$20.39 IQD 26.7K

24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.8K

$71.5 IQD 93.7K

-9.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.71 IQD 55.9K

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.7K

$443 IQD 580.2K

-46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.4K

$136 IQD 177.8K

-2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 IQD 501.1K

$929 IQD 1.2M

-58.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 IQD 198.2K

$668 IQD 875.3K

-77.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,276 IQD 1.7M

$1,604 IQD 2.1M

-20.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$480 IQD 628.7K

$780 IQD 1.0M

-38.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 984.2K

$772 IQD 1.0M

-2.70%

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 An Najaf: June 7, 2026

Last update for Basra: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in An Najaf versus $443 in Basra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Basra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $25.00 in Basra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $211 – making An Najaf 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

An Najaf vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra costs about 8% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,016 per month in An Najaf and $1,099 in Basra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in An Najaf and $732 in Basra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in An Najaf and $732 in Basra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. 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.