Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Basra versus $746 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Basra versus $1,165 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,996 in Basra versus $1,584 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Basra costs roughly 1% less than in Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Az Zubayr 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$4.00 IQD 5,233

-5.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$25.20 IQD 33.0K

0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$6.87 IQD 9,002

-1.89%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.66 IQD 3,484

-23.68%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.36 IQD 476

30.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.21 IQD 279

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$2.89 IQD 3,782

28.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$2.90 IQD 3,798

-10.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.37 IQD 1,798

-10.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.85 IQD 1,109

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,906

$1.66 IQD 2,169

-12.05%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,467

$1.72 IQD 2,257

9.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$4.63 IQD 6,064

78.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$4.78 IQD 6,266

44.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.19 IQD 1,561

-11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,756

$1.15 IQD 1,505

16.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$1.00 IQD 1,315

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$0.75 IQD 976

-21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.68 IQD 897

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$0.64 IQD 832

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.63 IQD 827

23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.56 IQD 735

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.85 IQD 2,429

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.85 IQD 2,423

63.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$2.09 IQD 2,734

87.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.39 IQD 515

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$31.63 IQD 41.4K

-26.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$2.32 IQD 3,036

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$1.53 IQD 2,009

47.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$6.17 IQD 8,076

12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.57 IQD 748

-1.75%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-31.75%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

14.83%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$78.4 IQD 102.6K

-27.69%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

44.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$34.27 IQD 44.9K

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$37.29 IQD 48.8K

-2.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

-7.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-0.64%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$152 IQD 198.5K

-35.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$3,290 IQD 4.3M

15.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

58.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$25.31 IQD 33.1K

-18.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$61.1 IQD 80.0K

14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$40.71 IQD 53.3K

0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$242 IQD 317.0K

83.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$175 IQD 229.6K

-22.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$585 IQD 766.2K

55.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.8K

$346 IQD 453.0K

88.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Az Zubayr: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Basra and $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $160, with Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Az Zubayr differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $746 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,109 in Basra and $1,119 in Az Zubayr 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: $445 in Basra versus $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Az Zubayr pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $25.00 in Az Zubayr. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Basra versus $746 in Az Zubayr, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Az Zubayr. 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 1% less than in Az Zubayr. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.