Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in As Samawah versus $728 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in As Samawah versus $1,366 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in As Samawah versus $2,003 in Basra.

Living in As Samawah is roughly 23% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 33% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 IQD 6,866

$3.80 IQD 4,974

37.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

49.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$7.09 IQD 9,289

9.03%

Cappuccino

$3.04 IQD 3,987

$2.04 IQD 2,675

49.02%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.47 IQD 609

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 265

$0.35 IQD 454

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,553

$3.85 IQD 5,038

-9.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,837

$2.58 IQD 3,382

13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$1.18 IQD 1,551

16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,074

$0.70 IQD 917

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,089

$1.42 IQD 1,857

12.68%

Eggs

$1.64 IQD 2,146

$1.85 IQD 2,428

-11.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,022

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

-44.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 IQD 6,329

$6.97 IQD 9,131

-30.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

6.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,347

$1.06 IQD 1,382

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.04 IQD 1,363

-34.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 673

$0.59 IQD 769

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 916

$0.67 IQD 872

4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.56 IQD 737

10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 411

$0.80 IQD 1,044

-61.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.42 IQD 548

47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 IQD 2,723

$1.89 IQD 2,479

10.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

-39.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,352

$3.15 IQD 4,125

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,716

$3.94 IQD 5,155

-47.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.39 IQD 511

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

35.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,117

$2.31 IQD 3,025

69.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,021

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 IQD 9,979

$6.80 IQD 8,900

12.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 734

$0.58 IQD 766

-3.45%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

46.03%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

-14.28%

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

$179 IQD 234.3K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

216.39%

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

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

7.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

-0.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

8.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

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

$169 IQD 220.9K

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

76.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

-3.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

-32.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

51.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

-11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.9K

$453 IQD 593.2K

-47.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.1K

$132 IQD 172.4K

38.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$902 IQD 1.2M

-35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.2K

$655 IQD 857.9K

-46.70%

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 As Samawah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in As Samawah and $453 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in As Samawah vs $24.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $173 vs $213, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.

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

As Samawah vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,338 in As Samawah and $1,092 in Basra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $239 in As Samawah versus $453 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Basra runs roughly 36% less than in As Samawah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $169 in As Samawah versus $95.4 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $728 in Basra versus $892 in As Samawah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in As Samawah. The gap between the two cities makes Basra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in As Samawah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.