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 $675 per month in An Najaf vs $728 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,012 per month in An Najaf vs $1,340 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in An Najaf vs $1,953 in Basra, rent included.

An Najaf is about 7% 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 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,236

$3.72 IQD 4,877

7.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

$24.46 IQD 32.0K

-7.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 IQD 6,104

$7.02 IQD 9,196

-33.62%

Cappuccino

$2.74 IQD 3,595

$2.10 IQD 2,753

30.48%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.46 IQD 609

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.34 IQD 449

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 IQD 4,639

$3.76 IQD 4,927

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,695

$2.71 IQD 3,553

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,806

$1.23 IQD 1,615

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$0.70 IQD 919

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,174

$1.42 IQD 1,854

16.90%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,339

$1.89 IQD 2,475

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.30 IQD 3,008

$7.93 IQD 10.4K

-71.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 IQD 6,664

$7.21 IQD 9,442

-29.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

$12.95 IQD 17.0K

-16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.01 IQD 1,317

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,514

$1.42 IQD 1,857

-18.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.04 IQD 1,364

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$0.62 IQD 814

19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$0.67 IQD 879

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 884

$0.62 IQD 807

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 790

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.42 IQD 545

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,946

$1.95 IQD 2,551

-23.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

$12.85 IQD 16.8K

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$3.12 IQD 4,091

-43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,834

$3.92 IQD 5,136

-44.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.37 IQD 482

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.31 IQD 45.0K

$23.25 IQD 30.5K

47.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,531

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-17.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,002

$2.31 IQD 3,033

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 IQD 6,382

$6.97 IQD 9,134

-30.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 IQD 618

$0.56 IQD 733

-16.07%

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

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

-12.01%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

-12.16%

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

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

$57.6 IQD 75.5K

3.52%

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

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

-9.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

$37.76 IQD 49.5K

-9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

$37.25 IQD 48.8K

-19.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

$15.13 IQD 19.8K

-0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,967

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-2.19%

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

$166 IQD 217.4K

$97.7 IQD 128.0K

69.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$913 IQD 1.2M

$3,869 IQD 5.1M

-76.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

$42.39 IQD 55.5K

-61.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

$20.70 IQD 27.1K

19.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$71.8 IQD 94.1K

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

$41.04 IQD 53.8K

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.5K

$448 IQD 587.4K

-46.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 IQD 175.8K

$136 IQD 177.8K

-1.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 IQD 498.3K

$917 IQD 1.2M

-58.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 IQD 200.1K

$676 IQD 885.2K

-77.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

$1,608 IQD 2.1M

-21.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 IQD 630.0K

$777 IQD 1.0M

-38.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 IQD 976.8K

$767 IQD 1.0M

-2.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Basra: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in An Najaf versus $448 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 $24.00 in Basra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $213 – 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 $1,013 per month in An Najaf and $1,092 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 $675 in An Najaf and $728 in Basra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% 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 $675 in An Najaf and $728 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.