Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $738 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $1,359 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $1,980 in Basra.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 225% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Basra is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.22

$3.78 IQD 4,953

367.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €60.3

$24.85 IQD 32.5K

181.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €11.76

$6.82 IQD 8,926

100.29%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.36

$2.02 IQD 2,650

35.64%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.44 IQD 572

534.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.32 IQD 418

512.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.86 IQD 5,056

12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$2.62 IQD 3,430

74.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.23 IQD 1,609

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.68 IQD 885

201.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.43 IQD 1,868

38.46%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.83 IQD 2,393

85.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.64 €16.05

$7.98 IQD 10.5K

133.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.23

$7.25 IQD 9,500

31.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 €16.22

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

45.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.01 IQD 1,326

172.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.35 IQD 1,772

82.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.01 IQD 1,317

107.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$0.62 IQD 814

354.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.67 IQD 877

201.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.60 IQD 789

208.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.84 IQD 1,098

79.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.39 IQD 509

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.08

$1.89 IQD 2,479

273.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.87

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

-39.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.97 IQD 3,894

-51.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.77 IQD 4,943

-39.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.39 IQD 512

638.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.45

$23.27 IQD 30.5K

22.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$2.32 IQD 3,037

88.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.25 IQD 2,942

-4.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 €25.10

$6.82 IQD 8,926

327.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$0.59 IQD 776

215.25%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$13.4K IQD 17.6M

190.39%

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

$32.7K €28.2K

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

42.63%

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

$189 €163

$58.0 IQD 75.9K

226.09%

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

$22.71 €19.56

$25.67 IQD 33.6K

-11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 €31.43

$37.62 IQD 49.3K

-2.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$37.24 IQD 48.8K

54.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 €18.40

$15.23 IQD 19.9K

40.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 €9.31

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

40.21%

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

$726 €625

$98.3 IQD 128.7K

638.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K €13.0K

$3,819 IQD 5.0M

295.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €75.5

$42.75 IQD 56.0K

105.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 €31.77

$20.73 IQD 27.1K

77.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$70.7 IQD 92.6K

46.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$40.48 IQD 53.0K

187.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,355

$445 IQD 582.2K

253.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$132 IQD 173.5K

820.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 €2,335

$903 IQD 1.2M

200.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,693

$661 IQD 865.1K

197.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,811 €6,726

$1,590 IQD 2.1M

391.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,267 €4,535

$802 IQD 1.1M

556.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,375 €2,045

$777 IQD 1.0M

205.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

5.67

-40.21%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for Basra: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 206% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $211 per month, with Basra 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

Barcelona vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Basra differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $738 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 206% more on average, 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $98.3 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $738 in Basra versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Basra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.