Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Basra versus $1,034 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,548 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $2,061 in Erbil.

Living in Basra costs roughly 28% less than in Erbil, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-50.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

8.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-21.83%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-34.19%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.49 IQD 640

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.20 IQD 261

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.00 IQD 2,624

93.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.14 IQD 2,797

26.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.32 IQD 1,730

-6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.84 IQD 1,103

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-21.67%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.98 IQD 2,599

-3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$7.54 IQD 9,879

6.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$4.80 IQD 6,282

50.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-7.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$1.14 IQD 1,491

-11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.20 IQD 1,567

18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$1.19 IQD 1,561

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.76 IQD 994

-17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.70 IQD 918

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.72 IQD 938

-20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.78 IQD 1,018

6.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.53 IQD 688

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$2.63 IQD 3,449

-28.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.45 IQD 1,899

104.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.01 IQD 2,633

88.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.54 IQD 709

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-1.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$2.20 IQD 2,885

0.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$6.87 IQD 8,999

-1.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.70 IQD 911

-17.14%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

-30.55%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

12.20%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$102 IQD 134.1K

-44.77%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

40.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

30.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-49.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

31.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-33.30%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$269 IQD 352.1K

-63.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

15.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

27.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-58.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

-47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$426 IQD 557.6K

6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$278 IQD 364.4K

-52.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$726 IQD 951.1K

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$485 IQD 635.3K

38.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

40.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$658 IQD 862.2K

21.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$584 IQD 765.0K

30.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

14.33

-60.43%

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

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $426 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $23.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $197 per month, with Erbil 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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Erbil differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $1,034 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Basra pays 31% more on average, 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: $455 in Basra versus $426 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Erbil pay roughly 8% 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 $23.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Erbil. 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.

Safety-wise, Basra and Erbil 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 39% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.