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: $728 in Basra versus $893 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Basra versus $1,334 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,965 in Basra versus $1,774 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Basra costs roughly 19% less than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 46% lower, Al-musayyib 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$5.24 IQD 6,867

-27.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 IQD 32.2K

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

-33.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,087

$7.55 IQD 9,883

-8.08%

Cappuccino

$2.02 IQD 2,649

$3.00 IQD 3,928

-32.67%

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

$0.43 IQD 561

$0.37 IQD 483

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 451

$0.21 IQD 270

61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 IQD 5,001

$3.45 IQD 4,520

10.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 IQD 3,400

$2.86 IQD 3,742

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 IQD 1,603

$1.13 IQD 1,479

7.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 IQD 882

$0.84 IQD 1,096

-20.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.57 IQD 2,059

-7.64%

Eggs

$1.84 IQD 2,411

$1.50 IQD 1,967

22.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$4.39 IQD 5,742

88.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 IQD 9,093

$3.94 IQD 5,163

76.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 IQD 17.5K

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

17.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$1.12 IQD 1,469

-9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,855

$1.13 IQD 1,477

25.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$1.00 IQD 1,313

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.56 IQD 731

5.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 891

$0.59 IQD 777

15.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$0.54 IQD 709

12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 IQD 1,094

$0.55 IQD 716

52.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 IQD 508

$0.37 IQD 481

5.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$2.07 IQD 2,710

-8.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 IQD 17.2K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 IQD 4,125

$1.76 IQD 2,302

78.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 IQD 4,867

$2.16 IQD 2,826

72.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.40 IQD 519

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.25 IQD 30.4K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-25.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,026

$3.76 IQD 4,918

-38.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$1.54 IQD 2,012

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 IQD 8,905

$7.47 IQD 9,779

-8.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 729

$0.57 IQD 746

-1.75%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-33.00%

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

$23.0K IQD 30.1M

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

17.72%

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

$56.9 IQD 74.4K

$179 IQD 234.4K

-68.25%

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

$25.88 IQD 33.9K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.18 IQD 50.0K

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

-4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 IQD 49.0K

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.33 IQD 20.1K

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

-9.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,734

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-4.62%

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

$98.5 IQD 129.0K

$166 IQD 217.5K

-40.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,871 IQD 5.1M

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

9.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.58 IQD 55.7K

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

51.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-34.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.8K

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.60 IQD 54.5K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

-4.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 IQD 596.7K

$244 IQD 319.5K

86.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.4K

$178 IQD 232.6K

-25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 IQD 1.2M

$585 IQD 765.6K

55.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 IQD 866.6K

$339 IQD 444.0K

95.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,559 IQD 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$808 IQD 1.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $456 in Basra and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Basra vs $37 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $168, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $893 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,092 in Basra and $1,340 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: $456 in Basra versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.5 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 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $728 in Basra versus $893 in Al-musayyib, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Al-musayyib. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.