Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Basra vs $684 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Basra vs $1,091 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Basra vs $1,498 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Basra costs about 8% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Basra and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Basra 45% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$3.98 IQD 5,217

-4.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

-0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,194

$7.00 IQD 9,165

0.29%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$2.56 IQD 3,348

-19.53%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.39 IQD 515

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.18 IQD 239

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.95 IQD 3,863

30.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.84 IQD 3,723

-4.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.79 IQD 2,342

-31.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.75 IQD 977

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.08 IQD 1,416

30.56%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.53 IQD 2,005

25.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$4.58 IQD 5,996

75.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$4.80 IQD 6,285

50.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$13.12 IQD 17.2K

0.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$0.85 IQD 1,118

18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.05 IQD 1,375

35.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$0.86 IQD 1,125

18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.37 IQD 483

70.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.70 IQD 922

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.34 IQD 450

67.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.67 IQD 882

23.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.47 IQD 612

-12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.94 IQD 2,534

-3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.85 IQD 2,417

60.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.18 IQD 2,854

73.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.39 IQD 512

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

-24.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.68 IQD 2,206

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.52 IQD 1,994

45.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$6.04 IQD 7,907

11.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.31 IQD 402

87.10%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

-29.89%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

16.34%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$77.0 IQD 100.9K

-26.55%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

41.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

12.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$22.53 IQD 29.5K

64.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$17.00 IQD 22.3K

-8.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

0.78%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$149 IQD 195.4K

-35.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

16.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

55.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$24.83 IQD 32.5K

-18.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$40.70 IQD 53.3K

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$333 IQD 435.4K

36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$133 IQD 173.6K

0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$448 IQD 586.7K

104.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.1K

$347 IQD 453.8K

93.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$583 IQD 763.6K

171.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$494 IQD 647.3K

54.29%

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 Basra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Basra versus $333 in Al-'amarah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 54% higher in Basra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Basra versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Basra vs $153 in Al-'amarah – so Al-'amarah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Basra vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Basra is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Basra and $1,026 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Basra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Basra and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Basra at $742. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.