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 $887 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Basra versus $1,338 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Basra versus $1,789 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Basra costs roughly 18% less than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Al-musayyib 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$5.49 IQD 7,189

-30.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

-32.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 9,289

$7.48 IQD 9,792

-5.21%

Cappuccino

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$2.99 IQD 3,911

-31.77%

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

$0.47 IQD 609

$0.37 IQD 483

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.19 IQD 244

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,038

$3.43 IQD 4,488

12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 IQD 3,382

$2.81 IQD 3,683

-8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.17 IQD 1,538

0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 917

$0.84 IQD 1,104

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,857

$1.51 IQD 1,975

-5.96%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,428

$1.49 IQD 1,956

24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

$4.54 IQD 5,947

82.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 IQD 9,131

$3.74 IQD 4,897

86.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

18.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,382

$1.18 IQD 1,543

-10.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.13 IQD 1,479

20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.01 IQD 1,326

2.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.58 IQD 764

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$0.59 IQD 773

13.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.59 IQD 771

-5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.54 IQD 712

48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.37 IQD 481

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$2.05 IQD 2,685

-7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

-6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 IQD 4,125

$1.76 IQD 2,301

78.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 IQD 5,155

$2.08 IQD 2,721

89.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.37 IQD 479

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

-27.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,025

$3.91 IQD 5,122

-40.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.52 IQD 1,996

51.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 IQD 8,900

$7.61 IQD 9,960

-10.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 766

$0.58 IQD 755

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

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

-32.25%

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

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

15.87%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$180 IQD 235.5K

-68.55%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

-0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

-7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

-1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

-6.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.63 IQD 9,992

1.05%

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

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

$167 IQD 218.1K

-42.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

5.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

46.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

-33.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 IQD 593.2K

$241 IQD 315.4K

88.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 172.4K

$180 IQD 236.1K

-26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 IQD 1.2M

$583 IQD 763.9K

54.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 IQD 857.9K

$342 IQD 448.0K

91.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 IQD 996.3K

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 26, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Basra and $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Basra vs $36.00 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 22% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $887 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 $1,330 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: $453 in Basra versus $241 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $95.4 in Basra versus $167 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 $887 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 22% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.