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: $965 in Basra versus $703 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,480 in Basra versus $1,023 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Basra versus $1,344 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Basra is roughly 37% more expensive than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Al-musayyib 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 IQD 6,109

$4.65 IQD 6,091

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

-10.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,499

$3.18 IQD 4,163

-16.04%

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

$0.47 IQD 610

$0.39 IQD 514

20.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 448

$0.26 IQD 342

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 IQD 4,987

$3.90 IQD 5,105

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 IQD 5,619

$3.83 IQD 5,021

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.08 IQD 1,413

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 851

$0.77 IQD 1,014

-15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,830

$1.52 IQD 1,985

-7.89%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,448

$1.56 IQD 2,047

19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 IQD 9,963

$3.87 IQD 5,068

96.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 IQD 8,094

$3.83 IQD 5,016

61.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,277

$1.14 IQD 1,487

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.07 IQD 1,396

27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$1.05 IQD 1,376

-2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$0.54 IQD 711

20.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 975

$0.60 IQD 781

23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.59 IQD 768

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 IQD 1,156

$0.55 IQD 721

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 IQD 499

$0.36 IQD 474

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,789

$1.82 IQD 2,386

17.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 IQD 9,160

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

-49.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$2.24 IQD 2,935

33.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 IQD 4,853

$2.29 IQD 2,997

62.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 720

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-0.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,056

$1.49 IQD 1,952

56.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 IQD 9,383

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

-6.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 726

$0.63 IQD 823

-12.70%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-30.29%

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

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

19.78%

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

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

$212 IQD 277.1K

-75.80%

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

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

-7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,837

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

-29.68%

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

$124 IQD 162.5K

$170 IQD 222.6K

-27.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

7.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

68.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

-45.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

-10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 IQD 605.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 IQD 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 IQD 827.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

4.12

37.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Basra vs $35.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $167, 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 37% in total monthly costs ($965 vs $703 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,447 in Basra and $1,054 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.

Childcare runs $124 in Basra versus $170 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Al-musayyib versus $965 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib 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-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.