Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar Ramadi and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar Ramadi and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $720 per month in Ar Ramadi vs $728 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,096 per month in Ar Ramadi vs $1,366 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,471 per month in Ar Ramadi vs $2,003 in Basra, rent included.

Ar Ramadi is about 1% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ar Ramadi and Basra are more affordable than the global median – Ar Ramadi 46% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 IQD 5,453

$3.80 IQD 4,974

9.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.12 IQD 32.9K

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 IQD 8,910

$7.09 IQD 9,289

-4.09%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,466

$2.04 IQD 2,675

29.90%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.47 IQD 609

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 278

$0.35 IQD 454

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 IQD 3,776

$3.85 IQD 5,038

-25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,745

$2.58 IQD 3,382

10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 IQD 1,101

$1.18 IQD 1,551

-28.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,081

$0.70 IQD 917

18.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 IQD 2,255

$1.42 IQD 1,857

21.13%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,466

$1.85 IQD 2,428

1.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,971

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

-54.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 IQD 3,098

$6.97 IQD 9,131

-66.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 IQD 13.4K

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

-23.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,359

$1.06 IQD 1,382

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,424

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,367

$1.04 IQD 1,363

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 793

$0.59 IQD 769

3.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 735

$0.67 IQD 872

-16.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 IQD 549

$0.56 IQD 737

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 866

$0.80 IQD 1,044

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 604

$0.42 IQD 548

9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$1.89 IQD 2,479

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.93 IQD 5,151

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

-69.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 IQD 2,237

$3.15 IQD 4,125

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,751

$3.94 IQD 5,155

-46.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.39 IQD 511

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.82 IQD 40.4K

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

35.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,941

$2.31 IQD 3,025

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,934

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-35.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 IQD 7,680

$6.80 IQD 8,900

-13.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 748

$0.58 IQD 766

-1.72%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

40.19%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

-15.50%

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

$77.6 IQD 101.6K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

37.21%

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

$17.83 IQD 23.3K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

-30.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.81 IQD 45.6K

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

-7.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.21 IQD 48.7K

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

2.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.64 IQD 21.8K

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

7.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-0.52%

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

$152 IQD 198.7K

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

59.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,255 IQD 4.3M

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

-13.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

-35.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.78 IQD 32.4K

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

-13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.96 IQD 54.9K

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.2K

$453 IQD 593.2K

-47.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.7K

$132 IQD 172.4K

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 IQD 757.5K

$902 IQD 1.2M

-35.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 444.7K

$655 IQD 857.9K

-48.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 IQD 996.3K

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 Ar Ramadi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in Ar Ramadi versus $453 in Basra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ar Ramadi versus $24.00 in Basra. Groceries tell a different story – $135 in Ar Ramadi vs $213 in Basra – so Ar Ramadi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ar Ramadi vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra costs about 1% more than Ar Ramadi, 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 $1,080 per month in Ar Ramadi 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 Ar Ramadi, 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 $720 in Ar Ramadi and $728 in Basra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Ar Ramadi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ar Ramadi, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Basra at $728. In Ar Ramadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Ar Ramadi. 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.