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 $711 per month in Ar Ramadi vs $732 in Basra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,104 per month in Ar Ramadi vs $1,351 in Basra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,497 per month in Ar Ramadi vs $1,969 in Basra, rent included.

Ar Ramadi is about 3% cheaper than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ar Ramadi and Basra are more affordable than the global median – Ar Ramadi 47% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 IQD 5,359

$3.85 IQD 5,038

6.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$24.88 IQD 32.6K

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 IQD 8,925

$7.03 IQD 9,205

-2.99%

Cappuccino

$2.59 IQD 3,392

$2.06 IQD 2,696

25.73%

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

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.44 IQD 574

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 265

$0.32 IQD 413

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 IQD 3,829

$3.80 IQD 4,982

-23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 IQD 3,670

$2.71 IQD 3,551

3.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,198

$1.19 IQD 1,558

-22.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.70 IQD 920

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 IQD 2,254

$1.47 IQD 1,927

17.01%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,471

$1.83 IQD 2,401

3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 IQD 5,012

$7.95 IQD 10.4K

-51.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.33 IQD 3,048

$7.05 IQD 9,238

-66.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 IQD 13.3K

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

-23.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,388

$1.01 IQD 1,325

4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,422

$1.40 IQD 1,837

-22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,422

$1.04 IQD 1,363

4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 788

$0.59 IQD 774

1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 IQD 680

$0.69 IQD 900

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 603

$0.57 IQD 746

-19.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 IQD 948

$0.78 IQD 1,021

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 615

$0.38 IQD 500

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$1.88 IQD 2,468

3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.80 IQD 4,978

$13.04 IQD 17.1K

-70.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,275

$2.99 IQD 3,916

-41.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,722

$3.77 IQD 4,934

-44.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 478

$0.37 IQD 481

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

37.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,023

$2.30 IQD 3,017

-32.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 IQD 8,022

$6.83 IQD 8,942

-10.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 701

$0.59 IQD 778

-8.47%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

41.48%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$22.5K IQD 29.5M

-13.07%

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

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$57.8 IQD 75.6K

32.44%

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

$17.78 IQD 23.3K

$25.61 IQD 33.5K

-30.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 IQD 44.5K

$38.89 IQD 50.9K

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.25 IQD 48.8K

$36.10 IQD 47.3K

3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 IQD 22.2K

$15.35 IQD 20.1K

10.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

2.08%

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

$151 IQD 197.6K

$95.9 IQD 125.6K

57.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,215 IQD 4.2M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-17.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 IQD 35.2K

$42.37 IQD 55.5K

-36.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$20.39 IQD 26.7K

22.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 IQD 79.7K

$71.5 IQD 93.7K

-14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 317.7K

$443 IQD 580.2K

-45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.1K

$136 IQD 177.8K

32.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.8K

$929 IQD 1.2M

-37.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.4K

$668 IQD 875.3K

-47.98%

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 Ar Ramadi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Basra: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in Ar Ramadi 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ar Ramadi versus $25.00 in Basra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $136 vs $211 – making Ar Ramadi 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

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

Basra costs about 3% 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 $1,066 per month in Ar Ramadi 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 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 $711 in Ar Ramadi and $732 in Basra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Ar Ramadi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $711 in Ar Ramadi and $732 in Basra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.