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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Basra versus $656 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,043 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $1,429 in Al Kufah.

Living in Basra is roughly 13% more expensive than Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Al Kufah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$5.45 IQD 7,142

-30.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$36.32 IQD 47.6K

-31.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$7.50 IQD 9,815

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$3.05 IQD 3,990

-32.46%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.39 IQD 517

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.20 IQD 266

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$3.34 IQD 4,375

15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.83 IQD 3,711

-4.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.11 IQD 1,454

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.66 IQD 861

6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.63 IQD 2,135

-13.50%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.74 IQD 2,283

10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$2.24 IQD 2,934

259.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$3.08 IQD 4,038

134.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$10.18 IQD 13.3K

29.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$0.52 IQD 683

94.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$0.92 IQD 1,209

54.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$0.71 IQD 933

43.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.49 IQD 646

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.40 IQD 527

77.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.31 IQD 401

83.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.68 IQD 884

22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.42 IQD 545

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.96 IQD 2,566

-4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

-7.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.82 IQD 2,388

63.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.12 IQD 2,771

78.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.37 IQD 488

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

-25.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.34 IQD 3,068

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.53 IQD 2,004

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.54 IQD 704

7.41%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-33.80%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

18.18%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$40.32 IQD 52.8K

40.33%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$26.29 IQD 34.4K

-4.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

69.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

45.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

-6.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.43 IQD 9,724

4.31%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$87.4 IQD 114.4K

10.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$2,386 IQD 3.1M

58.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$21.39 IQD 28.0K

95.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

-33.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$19.88 IQD 26.0K

266.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$210 IQD 275.6K

116.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$181 IQD 237.0K

-26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$424 IQD 555.4K

116.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$290 IQD 379.6K

131.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$3,193 IQD 4.2M

-50.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$1,688 IQD 2.2M

-52.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$776 IQD 1.0M

-1.68%

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 Kufah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $210 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $36.00 in Al Kufah. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $148, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al Kufah earns 2% 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: $455 in Basra versus $210 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $25.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $742 per month in Basra versus $656 in Al Kufah – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Al Kufah versus $742 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah 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 Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.