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: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 44% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$3.79 IQD 4,959

39.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

45.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$6.74 IQD 8,831

15.43%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$2.03 IQD 2,656

53.20%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.47 IQD 612

-14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.35 IQD 452

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$2.59 IQD 3,391

8.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$1.23 IQD 1,608

6.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$0.70 IQD 922

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.46 IQD 1,906

12.33%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-29.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.05 IQD 1,370

17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$1.00 IQD 1,316

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.59 IQD 774

27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.68 IQD 894

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$0.60 IQD 789

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.41 IQD 542

60.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$1.95 IQD 2,559

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-40.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-46.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.37 IQD 479

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

20.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$2.28 IQD 2,992

63.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-31.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$6.93 IQD 9,071

8.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.56 IQD 732

-5.36%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

52.44%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-10.09%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

208.87%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

4.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

15.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

17.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-4.22%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

69.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-7.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-34.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

46.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-8.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$445 IQD 582.7K

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$136 IQD 178.0K

137.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$908 IQD 1.2M

-8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-8.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

194.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$783 IQD 1.0M

100.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$752 IQD 985.3K

-16.44%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 20% 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 $190 vs $212, 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 44% 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, salaries run 20% lower in Basra. 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: $548 in Baghdad versus $445 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 21% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Baghdad versus $98.0 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $739 in Basra versus $1,066 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 44% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.