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: $675 in As Samawah versus $957 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $969 in As Samawah versus $1,450 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,263 in As Samawah versus $1,944 in Basra.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 29% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 51% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 IQD 6,341

$4.51 IQD 5,906

7.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

12.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 IQD 9,900

$7.42 IQD 9,712

1.89%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,036

$2.55 IQD 3,345

20.78%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.44 IQD 571

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 254

$0.34 IQD 445

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,877

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 IQD 4,883

$4.12 IQD 5,398

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,409

$1.12 IQD 1,462

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,013

$0.70 IQD 917

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,978

$1.47 IQD 1,919

2.72%

Eggs

$1.75 IQD 2,298

$1.82 IQD 2,380

-3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$7.53 IQD 9,861

-79.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 IQD 6,320

$6.36 IQD 8,334

-24.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 IQD 18.2K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,431

$0.97 IQD 1,273

12.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,418

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,236

$0.97 IQD 1,274

-3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.65 IQD 856

-35.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 719

$0.77 IQD 1,013

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 874

$0.65 IQD 856

3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 884

$0.87 IQD 1,133

-22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 IQD 893

$0.39 IQD 509

74.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 IQD 2,421

$2.08 IQD 2,726

-11.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 IQD 9,793

$6.74 IQD 8,823

10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 IQD 2,910

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-28.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,963

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-42.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 784

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.50 IQD 29.5K

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

20.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$2.36 IQD 3,089

-5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,946

$2.27 IQD 2,967

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 IQD 4,097

$7.06 IQD 9,240

-55.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 IQD 811

$0.60 IQD 783

3.33%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

39.42%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-19.12%

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

$82.3 IQD 107.8K

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

60.04%

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

$19.13 IQD 25.1K

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

-26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

-51.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

-78.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.36 IQD 25.3K

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

38.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 IQD 12.0K

$7.60 IQD 9,955

20.26%

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

$57.4 IQD 75.2K

$127 IQD 166.6K

-54.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,506 IQD 2.0M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-61.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.18 IQD 38.2K

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

-41.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 IQD 49.3K

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

87.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 IQD 97.8K

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

-3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.79 IQD 62.6K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 IQD 159.1K

$477 IQD 624.8K

-74.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 IQD 152.8K

$346 IQD 453.0K

-66.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$853 IQD 1.1M

-78.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 IQD 819.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 IQD 1.0M

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 As Samawah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in As Samawah and $477 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in As Samawah vs $31.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $197, 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

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,013 in As Samawah and $1,436 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: $122 in As Samawah versus $477 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 20% less than in Basra. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $57.4 in As Samawah versus $127 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $675 in As Samawah versus $957 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.