Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Basra

For one person, living is cheaper in Basra: $750 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Basra
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Basra Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Basra

🇮🇶 Iraq

$750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Basra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Basra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $750 in Basra.

Austin, TX $2,704
Basra $750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,357 in Basra.

Austin, TX $4,133
Basra $1,357

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,964 in Basra.

Austin, TX $5,562
Basra $1,964

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 260% more expensive than in Basra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Basra is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$4.46 IQD 6,745

353.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$30.01 IQD 45.3K

183.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$7.50 IQD 11.3K

64.67%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.64 IQD 3,982

107.20%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.43 IQD 650

788.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.32 IQD 483

681.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.71 IQD 5,603

117.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$4.27 IQD 6,450

110.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.11 IQD 1,679

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.68 IQD 1,034

455.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.40 IQD 2,120

132.14%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.81 IQD 2,732

128.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$7.57 IQD 11.4K

72.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$6.27 IQD 9,479

128.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$13.99 IQD 21.1K

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.03 IQD 1,551

325.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.31 IQD 1,981

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.03 IQD 1,553

340.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$0.64 IQD 973

554.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.72 IQD 1,094

265.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.67 IQD 1,009

252.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.93 IQD 1,404

89.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.41 IQD 624

426.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$2.12 IQD 3,204

362.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$12.11 IQD 18.3K

21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.62 IQD 2,453

71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.96 IQD 2,960

77.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.55 IQD 830

170.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$19.42 IQD 29.3K

108.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.24 IQD 3,384

19.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.33 IQD 3,518

-32.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$7.46 IQD 11.3K

373.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.61 IQD 917

62.30%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$13.2K IQD 20.0M

170.49%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$22.5K IQD 34.0M

20.77%

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

$219 $219

$50.3 IQD 76.1K

335.58%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$25.65 IQD 38.8K

126.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$38.51 IQD 58.2K

77.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$36.03 IQD 54.4K

60.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$13.80 IQD 20.9K

7.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$7.61 IQD 11.5K

85.68%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$128 IQD 192.9K

1082.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$3,814 IQD 5.8M

462.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$49.10 IQD 74.2K

5.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$20.77 IQD 31.4K

112.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$77.6 IQD 117.3K

9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$42.13 IQD 63.7K

149.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$462 IQD 698.8K

317.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$151 IQD 227.9K

743.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$848 IQD 1.3M

332.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$623 IQD 941.2K

305.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$1,615 IQD 2.4M

371.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$800 IQD 1.2M

299.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$749 IQD 1.1M

581.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.33

103.90%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Basra: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Basra

$151 20% 88.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Basra

$196 26% 51.5% $207

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Basra

$120 15.9% 65.5% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Basra

$115 15.2% 66.9% $231

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Basra

$85 11.3% 33.7% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Basra

$51 6.8% 40.5% $35

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Basra

$35 4.7% 37.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $462 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 581% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $30.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $196 per month, with Basra cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇮🇶 Basra

🕒 Local time

03:14 3:14 AM

11:14 11:14 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,150,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,695 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR).

IQD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Basra 12,340 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Basra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra wins on cost – living expenses run 260% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 581% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $462 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $750 in Basra – a 260% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Basra runs roughly 109% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $750 in Basra versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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 260% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.