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: $742 in Basra versus $728 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,155 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Basra is roughly 2% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Az Zubayr 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$3.99 IQD 5,222

-4.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,194

$6.69 IQD 8,761

4.93%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$2.67 IQD 3,493

-22.85%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.37 IQD 484

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.17 IQD 217

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.92 IQD 3,829

32.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.81 IQD 3,679

-3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.30 IQD 1,709

-5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.85 IQD 1,114

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.61 IQD 2,104

-12.42%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.81 IQD 2,365

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$4.58 IQD 6,003

75.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$4.76 IQD 6,238

51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$1.15 IQD 1,508

-12.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.17 IQD 1,530

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$1.02 IQD 1,333

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.70 IQD 918

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.69 IQD 904

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.66 IQD 869

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.66 IQD 867

25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.57 IQD 742

-28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.97 IQD 2,575

-4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.79 IQD 2,348

65.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.15 IQD 2,813

75.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.36 IQD 477

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$31.38 IQD 41.1K

-26.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.36 IQD 3,085

-2.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.55 IQD 2,023

42.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$6.02 IQD 7,878

12.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.53 IQD 696

9.43%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

-31.21%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

14.77%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$78.0 IQD 102.1K

-27.43%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

41.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

9.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$36.70 IQD 48.1K

1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

-7.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-0.77%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$151 IQD 198.1K

-35.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

16.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$27.46 IQD 36.0K

52.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

-20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$62.3 IQD 81.6K

16.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$41.70 IQD 54.6K

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$239 IQD 313.5K

90.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$180 IQD 236.4K

-26.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$591 IQD 773.6K

55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.1K

$338 IQD 443.1K

98.17%

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

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 Az Zubayr: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $239 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 $213 vs $158, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $728 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,113 in Basra and $1,091 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: $455 in Basra versus $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

At $728 in Az Zubayr versus $742 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.