Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Baghdad versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Baghdad versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 42% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 21% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 IQD 7,181

$3.81 IQD 4,990

43.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

49.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 IQD 9,909

$7.02 IQD 9,193

7.83%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,003

$2.06 IQD 2,695

48.54%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.44 IQD 572

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.35 IQD 452

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,485

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.70 IQD 3,532

8.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,726

$1.23 IQD 1,607

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$0.70 IQD 919

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.41 IQD 1,850

17.02%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,350

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-45.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 IQD 6,636

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-29.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

8.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,612

$1.01 IQD 1,321

21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,530

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.63 IQD 820

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.71 IQD 932

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.57 IQD 744

12.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 822

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 871

$0.41 IQD 541

60.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$1.88 IQD 2,458

12.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,815

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-43.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.39 IQD 516

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

23.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 IQD 5,087

$2.31 IQD 3,028

67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,923

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$6.76 IQD 8,847

16.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.58 IQD 762

-3.45%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

53.12%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-14.28%

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

$181 IQD 237.4K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

220.40%

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

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

4.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

19.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

0.90%

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

$163 IQD 213.2K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

67.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-5.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-31.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

51.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 IQD 707.6K

$455 IQD 595.7K

18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 IQD 420.5K

$133 IQD 174.1K

141.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 IQD 1.1M

$918 IQD 1.2M

-10.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.9K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-13.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

155.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

$800 IQD 1.0M

102.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 IQD 841.2K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-15.77%

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 Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Baghdad and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $213, with Baghdad 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

Baghdad vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Basra earns 19% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $540 in Baghdad versus $455 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 23% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $163 in Baghdad versus $97.0 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,054 in Baghdad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. 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 42% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.