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: $962 in Basra versus $1,095 in Erbil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,458 in Basra versus $1,654 in Erbil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in Basra versus $2,213 in Erbil.

Living in Basra costs roughly 12% less than in Erbil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Erbil 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 IQD 6,028

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

-40.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.03 IQD 39.3K

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

-33.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 IQD 9,827

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

-8.65%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,351

$3.78 IQD 4,955

-32.28%

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

$0.46 IQD 604

$1.02 IQD 1,338

-54.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.41 IQD 541

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,048

$5.97 IQD 7,823

-35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 IQD 5,640

$4.45 IQD 5,829

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,460

$1.27 IQD 1,669

-12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.79 IQD 1,033

-18.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,836

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-17.65%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,452

$1.76 IQD 2,307

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 IQD 9,914

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

-8.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 IQD 8,353

$5.54 IQD 7,252

15.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

-4.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,343

$1.10 IQD 1,446

-6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.15 IQD 1,503

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,292

$1.22 IQD 1,599

-18.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$0.81 IQD 1,061

-14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$0.74 IQD 974

6.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.69 IQD 901

-8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 IQD 1,146

$0.79 IQD 1,034

10.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 539

$0.58 IQD 761

-29.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 IQD 2,779

$2.51 IQD 3,293

-15.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 IQD 8,839

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

-46.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 IQD 4,058

$1.68 IQD 2,196

84.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,020

$2.06 IQD 2,693

85.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.60 IQD 781

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

-55.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 IQD 2,910

$1.93 IQD 2,533

15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 IQD 3,059

$1.74 IQD 2,279

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 IQD 9,746

$6.51 IQD 8,521

14.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 722

$0.67 IQD 876

-17.91%

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

$13.2K IQD 17.3M

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

-26.51%

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

$23.0K IQD 30.2M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

16.95%

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

$49.68 IQD 65.1K

$130 IQD 170.4K

-61.83%

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

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

80.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.02 IQD 51.1K

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

39.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

-43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

-5.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

-31.43%

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

$127 IQD 165.9K

$312 IQD 409.1K

-59.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,845 IQD 5.0M

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

24.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 IQD 65.1K

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

59.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.19 IQD 26.4K

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

-55.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 IQD 104.0K

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.95 IQD 54.9K

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

-38.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 IQD 614.4K

$473 IQD 619.0K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.5K

$287 IQD 375.6K

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 IQD 1.1M

$732 IQD 958.7K

17.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 IQD 822.0K

$426 IQD 558.4K

47.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,564 IQD 2.0M

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

40.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$643 IQD 841.7K

24.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$613 IQD 803.3K

25.43%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Basra and $473 in Erbil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Basra vs $45.00 in Erbil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $204 per month, with Basra 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 14% in total monthly costs ($962 vs $1,095 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $469 in Basra versus $473 in Erbil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $45.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Basra versus $1,095 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 14% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.