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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Basra vs $738 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Basra vs $1,140 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Basra vs $1,543 in Al Kut, rent included.

Basra costs about 1% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Basra and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Basra 45% lower, Al Kut 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$4.13 IQD 5,412

-7.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

-1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$2.57 IQD 3,364

-19.84%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.36 IQD 476

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.20 IQD 268

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.88 IQD 3,768

34.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.82 IQD 3,687

-4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.35 IQD 1,773

-8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.77 IQD 1,012

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.55 IQD 2,034

-9.03%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.53 IQD 2,004

25.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$4.62 IQD 6,046

74.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$3.55 IQD 4,654

103.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$12.98 IQD 17.0K

1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$0.86 IQD 1,124

17.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.06 IQD 1,385

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$0.81 IQD 1,061

25.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.75 IQD 976

-16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.69 IQD 899

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.68 IQD 890

-16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.62 IQD 818

33.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.56 IQD 731

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.94 IQD 2,535

-3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.80 IQD 2,354

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.16 IQD 2,824

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.39 IQD 513

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-24.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.36 IQD 3,088

-2.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.55 IQD 2,033

42.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$5.92 IQD 7,748

14.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.56 IQD 737

3.57%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-30.97%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

15.24%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

-26.08%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$34.63 IQD 45.3K

10.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$36.05 IQD 47.2K

2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

-9.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-1.27%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$149 IQD 195.3K

-34.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,277 IQD 4.3M

15.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

53.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

-18.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$61.9 IQD 81.1K

17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$41.71 IQD 54.6K

-2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$239 IQD 313.1K

90.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$570 IQD 746.3K

61.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$348 IQD 455.2K

92.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$990 IQD 1.3M

59.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$509 IQD 666.8K

57.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

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 Kut: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Basra versus $239 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Basra versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Basra vs $148 in Al Kut – so Al Kut 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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $742 in Basra, $738 in Al Kut – roughly 1% apart. Basra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Basra and $1,107 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 44% 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 Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Basra at $742. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Al Kut. 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.