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: $746 in Az Zubayr versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,165 in Az Zubayr versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,584 in Az Zubayr versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Az Zubayr is roughly 1% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 44% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,233

$3.79 IQD 4,959

5.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 IQD 33.0K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 IQD 9,002

$6.74 IQD 8,831

1.93%

Cappuccino

$2.66 IQD 3,484

$2.03 IQD 2,656

31.03%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.47 IQD 612

-23.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 279

$0.35 IQD 452

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 IQD 3,782

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-22.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,798

$2.59 IQD 3,391

11.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,798

$1.23 IQD 1,608

11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,109

$0.70 IQD 922

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,169

$1.46 IQD 1,906

13.70%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,257

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 IQD 6,064

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-43.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 IQD 6,266

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.05 IQD 1,370

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,315

$1.00 IQD 1,316

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.59 IQD 774

27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 897

$0.68 IQD 894

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 832

$0.60 IQD 789

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 735

$0.41 IQD 542

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$1.95 IQD 2,559

-5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,423

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-38.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,734

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-46.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.37 IQD 479

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.63 IQD 41.4K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

36.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,036

$2.28 IQD 2,992

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,009

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-32.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 IQD 8,076

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-10.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 748

$0.56 IQD 732

1.79%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

46.53%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-12.91%

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

$78.4 IQD 102.6K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

38.30%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-30.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.27 IQD 44.9K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 IQD 48.8K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

7.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

0.64%

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

$152 IQD 198.5K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

54.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,290 IQD 4.3M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-13.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-36.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 IQD 33.1K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

22.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 IQD 80.0K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-12.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 IQD 53.3K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

-0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.0K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-45.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.6K

$136 IQD 178.0K

28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 766.2K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-35.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.0K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-46.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

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 Az Zubayr: July 12, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Az Zubayr and $445 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 $160 vs $212 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 1% in total monthly costs ($746 vs $739 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,119 in Az Zubayr and $1,109 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: $242 in Az Zubayr versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Az Zubayr pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

At $739 in Basra versus $746 in Az Zubayr, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Az Zubayr. 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 1% less than in Az Zubayr. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.