Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Basra versus $734 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,085 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $1,437 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Basra is roughly 1% more expensive than Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Al-mawsil 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$7.47 IQD 9,781

-49.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$12.10 IQD 15.8K

104.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,194

$5.87 IQD 7,683

19.59%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$0.75 IQD 977

174.67%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.36 IQD 473

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.17 IQD 218

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$0.91 IQD 1,198

324.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$1.48 IQD 1,944

82.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.92 IQD 1,207

33.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.75 IQD 976

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.05 IQD 1,378

34.29%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.97 IQD 2,578

-2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$7.27 IQD 9,521

10.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$3.30 IQD 4,326

118.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$7.12 IQD 9,320

85.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$0.92 IQD 1,203

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$0.86 IQD 1,126

65.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$0.77 IQD 1,012

32.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.37 IQD 479

70.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.41 IQD 543

73.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.46 IQD 601

23.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.52 IQD 679

59.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.48 IQD 635

-14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.90 IQD 2,492

-1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.37 IQD 1,799

116.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$1.92 IQD 2,518

96.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.37 IQD 482

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

-25.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.18 IQD 2,850

5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$2.02 IQD 2,646

9.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$3.35 IQD 4,391

101.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.35 IQD 461

65.71%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$15.6K IQD 20.4M

-15.00%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

31.29%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

-42.84%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

40.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

42.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$23.87 IQD 31.3K

55.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

-17.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$11.49 IQD 15.0K

-32.55%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$198 IQD 258.7K

-50.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$701 IQD 917.6K

438.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

197.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$17.51 IQD 22.9K

15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

-11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$19.05 IQD 24.9K

113.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$241 IQD 316.0K

88.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$177 IQD 231.4K

-24.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$585 IQD 765.8K

56.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.1K

$349 IQD 457.4K

91.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$607 IQD 795.3K

25.58%

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-mawsil: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $241 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $148 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Basra pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Basra versus $241 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $97.0 in Basra versus $198 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Al-mawsil versus $742 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.