Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and 'aqrah

For one person, living costs are similar in Basra and in 'aqrah: $652 and $661 a month, rent and utilities included.

32

Cost of Living Index in Basra
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Basra Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index

Jump to prices

Basra

🇮🇶 Iraq

$652

/mo nomad

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Basra and in 'aqrah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Basra and in 'aqrah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Basra versus $661 in 'aqrah.

Basra $652
'aqrah $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,179 in Basra versus $1,015 in 'aqrah.

Basra $1,179
'aqrah $1,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,706 in Basra versus $1,369 in 'aqrah.

Basra $1,706
'aqrah $1,369

Living in Basra costs roughly 1% less than in 'aqrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 52% lower, 'aqrah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 IQD 6,134

$3.62 IQD 5,467

12.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.00 IQD 39.3K

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

19.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 IQD 9,706

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

-5.87%

Cappuccino

$2.21 IQD 3,342

$2.38 IQD 3,602

-7.14%

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

$0.36 IQD 551

$0.32 IQD 485

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 IQD 455

$0.18 IQD 273

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 IQD 4,849

$3.11 IQD 4,706

3.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 IQD 5,394

$2.61 IQD 3,945

36.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,460

$0.94 IQD 1,416

3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 IQD 841

$0.72 IQD 1,086

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,895

$1.46 IQD 2,205

-14.38%

Eggs

$1.62 IQD 2,442

$1.70 IQD 2,573

-4.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 IQD 9,486

$3.48 IQD 5,252

80.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 IQD 8,061

$4.16 IQD 6,291

28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 IQD 18.3K

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

-8.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,356

$0.92 IQD 1,383

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,787

$0.91 IQD 1,375

29.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,266

$0.77 IQD 1,161

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 904

$0.66 IQD 990

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 1,044

$0.54 IQD 809

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 IQD 802

$0.64 IQD 965

-17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 IQD 1,160

$0.51 IQD 776

50.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 546

$0.50 IQD 756

-28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 IQD 2,705

$1.57 IQD 2,368

14.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 IQD 16.5K

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 IQD 2,204

$1.33 IQD 2,003

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,617

$1.85 IQD 2,800

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 IQD 756

$0.45 IQD 679

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.76 IQD 25.3K

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

-4.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 IQD 2,946

$1.89 IQD 2,859

3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 IQD 2,930

$1.39 IQD 2,099

39.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 IQD 9,594

$5.15 IQD 7,788

23.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 849

$0.48 IQD 727

16.67%

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

$11.7K IQD 17.7M

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

-30.51%

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

$19.5K IQD 29.5M

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

0.65%

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

$44.55 IQD 67.3K

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

-44.42%

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

$22.24 IQD 33.6K

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

63.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.88 IQD 51.2K

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 IQD 46.7K

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

-16.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.94 IQD 18.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 IQD 9,898

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

-21.93%

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

$109 IQD 164.7K

$142 IQD 213.9K

-23.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.9M

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

22.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.34 IQD 65.5K

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

96.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 IQD 26.1K

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

-27.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 IQD 101.2K

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

41.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.95 IQD 54.3K

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 IQD 617.4K

$184 IQD 277.8K

122.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 IQD 195.6K

$141 IQD 213.2K

-8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 IQD 1.1M

$358 IQD 541.4K

108.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 IQD 814.7K

$278 IQD 419.4K

94.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,363 IQD 2.1M

$779 IQD 1.2M

75.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$688 IQD 1.0M

$642 IQD 970.8K

7.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 IQD 979.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

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

Last update for Basra: October 11, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Basra

$170 26%

'aqrah

$160 24.2% 5.8% $9.8

Accommodation & Living

Basra

$129 19.9%

'aqrah

$141 21.4% 9% $12

Eating Out

Basra

$104 16%

'aqrah

$101 15.3% 3.2% $3.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Basra

$101 15.4%

'aqrah

$121 18.3% 20.2% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Basra

$74 11.3%

'aqrah

$56 8.5% 24% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Basra

$44 6.8%

'aqrah

$54 8.1% 22.2% $9.8

Getting Around

Basra

$30 4.7%

'aqrah

$28 4.3% 7.5% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Basra and $184 in 'aqrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Basra vs $22.00 in 'aqrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $160 per month, with 'aqrah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Basra

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🕒 Local time

06:18 6:18 AM

Same time as Basra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,150,000

68,100

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Basra 'aqrah 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Basra
'aqrah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in 'aqrah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $978 in Basra and $991 in 'aqrah 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: $409 in Basra versus $184 in 'aqrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $652 per month in Basra versus $661 in 'aqrah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Basra runs roughly 4% less than in 'aqrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Basra gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Basra and 'aqrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in 'aqrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.