Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $728 in Az Zubayr versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,155 in Az Zubayr versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,582 in Az Zubayr versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 2% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 46% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 IQD 5,222

$3.81 IQD 4,990

4.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 IQD 8,761

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,493

$2.06 IQD 2,695

29.61%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.44 IQD 572

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 217

$0.35 IQD 452

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 IQD 3,829

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-24.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,679

$2.70 IQD 3,532

4.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,709

$1.23 IQD 1,607

5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,113

$0.70 IQD 919

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,104

$1.41 IQD 1,850

14.18%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,365

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-5.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 6,002

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-43.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 IQD 6,237

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-34.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,508

$1.01 IQD 1,321

13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,333

$1.02 IQD 1,331

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.63 IQD 820

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$0.71 IQD 932

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 869

$0.57 IQD 744

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 867

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.41 IQD 541

39.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$1.88 IQD 2,458

4.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,348

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,813

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-43.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.39 IQD 516

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.38 IQD 41.1K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

35.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,085

$2.31 IQD 3,028

2.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,023

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-29.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 IQD 7,878

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-10.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 696

$0.58 IQD 762

-8.62%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

45.37%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-12.87%

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

$78.0 IQD 102.1K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

37.80%

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

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-29.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-8.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 IQD 48.1K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

8.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

0.77%

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

$151 IQD 198.1K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

56.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-13.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.46 IQD 36.0K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-34.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

26.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 IQD 81.6K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.70 IQD 54.6K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.5K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.4K

$133 IQD 174.1K

35.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 IQD 773.6K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-35.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 443.1K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-49.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

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 Az Zubayr: May 30, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Az Zubayr and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Az Zubayr vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $213 per month, with Az Zubayr cheaper across the board.

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

Az Zubayr vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Az Zubayr and Basra differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $742 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,091 in Az Zubayr and $1,113 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 Az Zubayr versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $25.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Az Zubayr versus $742 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.