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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Basra vs $792 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Basra vs $1,150 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Basra vs $1,508 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

Basra is about 6% cheaper than An Nasiriyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Basra and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Basra 45% lower, An Nasiriyah 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$3.21 IQD 4,199

18.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$12.44 IQD 16.3K

99.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,194

$6.77 IQD 8,869

3.69%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$2.73 IQD 3,576

-24.54%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.37 IQD 478

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.17 IQD 228

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$3.45 IQD 4,521

11.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.91 IQD 3,812

-7.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.86 IQD 1,123

43.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.77 IQD 1,014

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.39 IQD 1,826

1.44%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.66 IQD 2,176

15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$3.16 IQD 4,138

154.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$3.84 IQD 5,029

88.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$8.78 IQD 11.5K

50.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$1.28 IQD 1,671

-21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.20 IQD 1,568

18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$0.81 IQD 1,055

25.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.40 IQD 526

57.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.41 IQD 536

73.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.51 IQD 669

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.52 IQD 676

59.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.43 IQD 565

-4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.53 IQD 2,001

22.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

-5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.77 IQD 2,319

67.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.08 IQD 2,724

81.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.23 IQD 302

69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$30.81 IQD 40.4K

-24.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.28 IQD 2,980

1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.54 IQD 2,020

43.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$3.05 IQD 3,989

121.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.54 IQD 707

7.41%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-33.56%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

51.84%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$175 IQD 228.9K

-67.63%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$26.39 IQD 34.6K

-4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$40.42 IQD 52.9K

-4.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$18.82 IQD 24.6K

96.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

-7.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

1.17%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$168 IQD 220.1K

-42.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,534 IQD 4.6M

6.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

258.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$30.08 IQD 39.4K

-32.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$26.92 IQD 35.3K

170.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$38.21 IQD 50.0K

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$247 IQD 323.6K

84.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$179 IQD 234.2K

-25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$577 IQD 756.0K

58.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.1K

$341 IQD 447.0K

96.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$776 IQD 1.0M

-1.73%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for An Nasiriyah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Basra versus $247 in An Nasiriyah. 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 2% higher in An Nasiriyah, 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 $25.00 in Basra versus $12.00 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $152 – making An Nasiriyah 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 Nasiriyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $742 in Basra, $792 in An Nasiriyah – roughly 7% apart. An Nasiriyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Basra and $1,189 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 33% less in Basra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $97.0 per month in Basra and $168 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Basra, where all-in costs run around $742, than in An Nasiriyah at $792. In Basra it covers expenses comfortably, while in An Nasiriyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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