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 $631 per month in An Najaf vs $957 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $969 per month in An Najaf vs $1,450 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,308 per month in An Najaf vs $1,944 in Basra, rent included.

An Najaf is about 34% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Basra are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 54% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 IQD 5,867

$4.51 IQD 5,906

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-25.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 IQD 6,589

$7.42 IQD 9,712

-32.21%

Cappuccino

$2.57 IQD 3,360

$2.55 IQD 3,345

0.78%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.44 IQD 571

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.34 IQD 445

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 IQD 2,587

$4.12 IQD 5,398

-51.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 IQD 1,341

$1.12 IQD 1,462

-8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,095

$0.70 IQD 917

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.47 IQD 1,919

2.72%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,263

$1.82 IQD 2,380

-4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.78 IQD 4,954

$7.53 IQD 9,861

-49.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,035

$6.36 IQD 8,333

-27.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 IQD 13.6K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-26.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,528

$0.97 IQD 1,273

20.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,330

$0.97 IQD 1,274

5.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 954

$0.65 IQD 856

12.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 855

$0.77 IQD 1,013

-15.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.65 IQD 856

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 816

$0.87 IQD 1,133

-28.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 645

$0.39 IQD 509

25.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 IQD 2,120

$2.08 IQD 2,726

-22.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$6.74 IQD 8,823

105.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,900

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,888

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-43.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 461

$0.60 IQD 784

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 IQD 1,990

$2.36 IQD 3,089

-35.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,032

$2.27 IQD 2,967

-31.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 IQD 7,107

$7.06 IQD 9,240

-23.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 IQD 578

$0.60 IQD 783

-26.67%

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

$12.1K IQD 15.9M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

-10.01%

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

$18.1K IQD 23.7M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-22.19%

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

$38.48 IQD 50.4K

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

-25.18%

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

$17.19 IQD 22.5K

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

-33.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.50 IQD 47.8K

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

-8.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.23 IQD 38.3K

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

-19.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 IQD 12.1K

$7.60 IQD 9,955

22.11%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$127 IQD 166.6K

29.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$914 IQD 1.2M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-76.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.19 IQD 21.2K

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

-67.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

32.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 IQD 93.5K

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

-7.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.55 IQD 61.0K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 IQD 338.1K

$477 IQD 624.8K

-45.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 IQD 183.5K

$346 IQD 453.0K

-59.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 IQD 448.6K

$853 IQD 1.1M

-59.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 IQD 265.8K

$626 IQD 819.5K

-67.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,237 IQD 1.6M

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

-21.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$488 IQD 639.3K

$786 IQD 1.0M

-37.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 IQD 951.3K

$777 IQD 1.0M

-6.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.67

-27.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for An Najaf: September 12, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in An Najaf versus $477 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 7% 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 $31.00 in Basra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $197 – 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 52% 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 $946 per month in An Najaf and $1,436 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 $631 in An Najaf and $957 in Basra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $165 per month in An Najaf and $127 in Basra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Basra at $957. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.