Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Al Fallujah Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Al Fallujah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Basra versus $923 in Al Fallujah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Basra versus $1,381 in Al Fallujah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,996 in Basra versus $1,840 in Al Fallujah.

Living in Basra costs roughly 20% less than in Al Fallujah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Al Fallujah 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$5.39 IQD 7,056

-29.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$36.44 IQD 47.7K

-30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$7.74 IQD 10.1K

-12.92%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.95 IQD 3,866

-31.19%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.37 IQD 482

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.17 IQD 216

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$3.47 IQD 4,549

7.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$2.86 IQD 3,742

-9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.30 IQD 1,704

-5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.79 IQD 1,037

-11.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,907

$1.58 IQD 2,069

-7.59%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,468

$1.78 IQD 2,326

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$4.47 IQD 5,847

84.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$4.89 IQD 6,408

41.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$13.85 IQD 18.1K

-5.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.27 IQD 1,660

-17.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,757

$1.20 IQD 1,567

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$1.06 IQD 1,388

-5.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$0.75 IQD 979

-21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.65 IQD 854

4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$0.62 IQD 817

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.63 IQD 825

23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.66 IQD 865

-37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$2.07 IQD 2,716

-5.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$13.51 IQD 17.7K

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.84 IQD 2,406

64.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$2.19 IQD 2,869

79.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.40 IQD 518

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$30.92 IQD 40.5K

-25.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$3.87 IQD 5,072

-41.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$1.54 IQD 2,017

46.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$7.47 IQD 9,788

-7.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.54 IQD 703

3.70%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

-34.76%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

12.01%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$176 IQD 230.7K

-67.83%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

-2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

-5.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$36.34 IQD 47.6K

-0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

-6.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.61 IQD 9,968

2.76%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$167 IQD 219.2K

-41.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$3,626 IQD 4.7M

4.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$28.18 IQD 36.9K

51.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$30.34 IQD 39.7K

-32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$64.4 IQD 84.4K

8.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$44.21 IQD 57.9K

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$243 IQD 317.6K

83.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$178 IQD 232.5K

-23.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$580 IQD 759.8K

56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.9K

$342 IQD 447.4K

90.40%

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 Basra: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Fallujah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Basra and $243 in Al Fallujah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $36.00 in Al Fallujah. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $189, with Al Fallujah 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

Basra vs Al Fallujah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Al Fallujah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,109 in Basra and $1,384 in Al Fallujah 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: $445 in Basra versus $243 in Al Fallujah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.0 in Basra versus $167 in Al Fallujah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al Fallujah pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $739 in Basra versus $923 in Al Fallujah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Al Fallujah. 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 25% less than in Al Fallujah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.