Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Duhok Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Duhok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $965 in Basra versus $663 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,480 in Basra versus $1,064 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Basra versus $1,466 in Duhok.

Living in Basra is roughly 46% more expensive than in Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 IQD 6,109

$3.84 IQD 5,024

21.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$18.93 IQD 24.8K

64.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$8.62 IQD 11.3K

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,499

$2.81 IQD 3,684

-4.98%

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

$0.47 IQD 609

$0.40 IQD 518

17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 448

$0.21 IQD 269

61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 IQD 4,987

$1.88 IQD 2,464

102.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 IQD 5,619

$2.35 IQD 3,074

82.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.23 IQD 1,611

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 851

$0.78 IQD 1,027

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,830

$1.76 IQD 2,311

-20.45%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,448

$1.85 IQD 2,429

1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 IQD 9,962

$4.91 IQD 6,436

54.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 IQD 8,093

$3.09 IQD 4,041

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$12.88 IQD 16.9K

7.38%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,277

$1.08 IQD 1,408

-10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.11 IQD 1,450

22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$0.81 IQD 1,065

25.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$0.69 IQD 904

-5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 975

$0.75 IQD 976

-1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.69 IQD 901

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 IQD 1,156

$0.80 IQD 1,045

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 IQD 499

$0.59 IQD 772

-35.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,789

$1.92 IQD 2,517

10.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 IQD 9,160

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-44.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$1.64 IQD 2,147

81.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 IQD 4,853

$2.05 IQD 2,686

80.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 720

$0.36 IQD 466

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

$15.53 IQD 20.3K

23.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$1.86 IQD 2,436

20.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,056

$1.43 IQD 1,875

62.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 IQD 9,383

$5.83 IQD 7,629

22.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 726

$0.67 IQD 879

-17.91%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

-27.62%

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

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

13.69%

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

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

$92.3 IQD 120.8K

-44.49%

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

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

$9.76 IQD 12.8K

162.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

$28.23 IQD 37.0K

36.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

-32.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-55.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,836

$7.55 IQD 9,883

-0.53%

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

$124 IQD 162.5K

$111 IQD 145.6K

11.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

$3,151 IQD 4.1M

19.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

391.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

$20.16 IQD 26.4K

1.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

$30.16 IQD 39.5K

160.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$20.11 IQD 26.3K

108.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 IQD 605.8K

$179 IQD 234.5K

158.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

$125 IQD 163.7K

178.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 IQD 1.1M

$366 IQD 479.6K

130.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 IQD 827.8K

$338 IQD 442.9K

86.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

$477 IQD 625.2K

227.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$391 IQD 512.6K

98.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$455 IQD 595.5K

69.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

2.53

124.11%

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

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Last update for Duhok: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Basra and $179 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Basra vs $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $173 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Duhok differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($965 vs $663 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Basra, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $463 in Basra versus $179 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duhok – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $663 in Duhok versus $965 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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.

Safety-wise, Basra and Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.