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 $739 per month in Basra vs $718 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Basra vs $1,115 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,996 per month in Basra vs $1,511 in Al Kut, rent included.

Basra costs about 3% 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 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$3.97 IQD 5,200

-4.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$24.91 IQD 32.6K

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$6.96 IQD 9,110

-3.16%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.60 IQD 3,407

-21.92%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.40 IQD 518

17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.22 IQD 284

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$2.84 IQD 3,714

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$2.81 IQD 3,680

-7.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.38 IQD 1,806

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.80 IQD 1,047

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,906

$1.54 IQD 2,022

-5.19%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,467

$1.60 IQD 2,089

17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$4.37 IQD 5,720

89.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$3.50 IQD 4,589

98.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$0.92 IQD 1,205

14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,756

$1.01 IQD 1,319

32.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$0.86 IQD 1,125

16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$0.74 IQD 970

-20.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.69 IQD 906

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$0.67 IQD 879

-10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.68 IQD 889

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.53 IQD 689

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.89 IQD 2,469

3.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.86 IQD 2,431

62.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$2.07 IQD 2,706

89.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.36 IQD 475

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

-25.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$2.35 IQD 3,082

-2.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$1.49 IQD 1,952

51.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$6.02 IQD 7,889

15.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.57 IQD 740

-1.75%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-30.08%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

15.63%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-25.23%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

44.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$34.68 IQD 45.4K

11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$37.39 IQD 49.0K

-2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

-5.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.50 IQD 9,820

4.27%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$153 IQD 200.2K

-35.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

15.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$26.84 IQD 35.1K

58.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

-20.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

-0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$241 IQD 315.0K

85.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$179 IQD 234.0K

-23.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$580 IQD 759.1K

56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.8K

$349 IQD 456.6K

86.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

$1,019 IQD 1.3M

57.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

$509 IQD 666.7K

53.85%

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 Kut: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Basra versus $241 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 – $212 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: $739 in Basra, $718 in Al Kut – roughly 3% apart. Basra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,109 per month in Basra and $1,077 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 $718, than in Basra at $739. 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.