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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $732 in Basra versus $878 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,356 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,969 in Basra versus $1,834 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Basra costs roughly 17% less than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Al-musayyib 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 IQD 5,038

$5.26 IQD 6,889

-26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 IQD 32.6K

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

-32.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 IQD 9,205

$7.51 IQD 9,828

-6.39%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,696

$3.11 IQD 4,077

-33.76%

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

$0.44 IQD 574

$0.36 IQD 475

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 IQD 413

$0.20 IQD 263

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 IQD 4,982

$3.45 IQD 4,518

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,551

$2.94 IQD 3,856

-7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 IQD 1,558

$1.14 IQD 1,490

4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.83 IQD 1,093

-15.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 IQD 1,927

$1.57 IQD 2,061

-6.37%

Eggs

$1.83 IQD 2,401

$1.57 IQD 2,059

16.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 IQD 10.4K

$4.60 IQD 6,023

72.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 IQD 9,238

$3.87 IQD 5,071

82.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,325

$1.14 IQD 1,486

-11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,837

$1.12 IQD 1,461

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.05 IQD 1,370

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$0.58 IQD 760

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$0.64 IQD 838

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 746

$0.59 IQD 769

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,021

$0.60 IQD 784

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 IQD 500

$0.37 IQD 480

2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,468

$2.13 IQD 2,786

-11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 IQD 17.1K

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 IQD 3,916

$1.78 IQD 2,326

67.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 IQD 4,934

$2.10 IQD 2,747

79.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.39 IQD 516

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.77 IQD 29.8K

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

-27.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

$3.90 IQD 5,103

-40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 IQD 3,017

$1.48 IQD 1,933

55.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 IQD 8,942

$7.57 IQD 9,907

-9.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 IQD 778

$0.53 IQD 699

11.32%

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

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-31.65%

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

$22.5K IQD 29.5M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

12.65%

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

$57.8 IQD 75.6K

$179 IQD 234.1K

-67.68%

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

$25.61 IQD 33.5K

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

-2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 IQD 50.9K

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

-3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.10 IQD 47.3K

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

-2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.35 IQD 20.1K

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

-7.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.51 IQD 9,840

2.66%

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

$95.9 IQD 125.6K

$166 IQD 217.7K

-42.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

8.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 IQD 55.5K

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

49.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.39 IQD 26.7K

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

-33.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 IQD 93.7K

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

-6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 IQD 580.2K

$244 IQD 319.6K

81.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 177.8K

$176 IQD 229.9K

-22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 IQD 1.2M

$575 IQD 752.9K

61.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 IQD 875.3K

$341 IQD 446.8K

95.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,604 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$772 IQD 1.0M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Basra and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $37.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $170, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Al-musayyib differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($732 vs $878 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,099 in Basra and $1,317 in Al-musayyib 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: $443 in Basra versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $95.9 in Basra versus $166 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-musayyib pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Basra gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 20% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.