Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $728 per month in Basra vs $675 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,340 per month in Basra vs $1,012 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Basra vs $1,349 in An Najaf, rent included.

Basra costs about 8% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Basra and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Basra 46% lower, An Najaf 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 IQD 4,877

$4.00 IQD 5,236

-7.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 IQD 32.0K

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

7.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,196

$4.66 IQD 6,104

50.64%

Cappuccino

$2.10 IQD 2,753

$2.74 IQD 3,595

-23.36%

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

$0.46 IQD 609

$0.37 IQD 480

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 449

$0.17 IQD 226

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 IQD 4,927

$3.54 IQD 4,639

6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,553

$2.82 IQD 3,695

-3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.38 IQD 1,806

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.84 IQD 1,102

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,854

$1.66 IQD 2,174

-14.46%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,475

$1.79 IQD 2,339

5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 IQD 10.4K

$2.30 IQD 3,008

244.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 IQD 9,442

$5.09 IQD 6,664

41.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 IQD 17.0K

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

20.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,317

$1.27 IQD 1,662

-20.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,857

$1.16 IQD 1,514

22.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,364

$1.06 IQD 1,387

-1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 814

$0.74 IQD 971

-16.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.65 IQD 850

3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 807

$0.67 IQD 884

-7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,021

$0.60 IQD 790

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 545

$0.37 IQD 483

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,551

$1.49 IQD 1,946

30.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 IQD 16.8K

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

-4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 IQD 4,091

$1.76 IQD 2,307

77.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,136

$2.16 IQD 2,834

81.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.36 IQD 477

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.25 IQD 30.5K

$34.31 IQD 45.0K

-32.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,083

$1.93 IQD 2,531

21.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,033

$1.53 IQD 2,002

50.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 IQD 9,134

$4.87 IQD 6,382

43.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 733

$0.47 IQD 618

19.15%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

13.65%

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

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

13.84%

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

$57.6 IQD 75.5K

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

-3.40%

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

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

10.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.76 IQD 49.5K

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

10.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.25 IQD 48.8K

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 IQD 19.8K

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

0.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$7.61 IQD 9,967

2.23%

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

$97.7 IQD 128.0K

$166 IQD 217.4K

-41.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,869 IQD 5.1M

$913 IQD 1.2M

323.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.39 IQD 55.5K

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

160.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.70 IQD 27.1K

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

-16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 IQD 94.1K

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.04 IQD 53.8K

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

-3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 IQD 587.4K

$239 IQD 312.5K

87.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 177.8K

$134 IQD 175.8K

1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$380 IQD 498.3K

141.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 IQD 885.2K

$153 IQD 200.1K

342.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,608 IQD 2.1M

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

27.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$777 IQD 1.0M

$481 IQD 630.0K

61.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 IQD 1.0M

$746 IQD 976.8K

2.91%

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 27, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Basra versus $239 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Basra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Basra versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $172 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra costs about 8% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,092 per month in Basra and $1,013 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $728 in Basra and $675 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $728 in Basra and $675 in An Najaf, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.