Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $728 in Basra versus $851 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Basra versus $1,277 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Basra versus $1,702 in Mashhad.

Living in Basra costs roughly 14% less than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Mashhad 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$5.25 IQD 6,877

-27.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

-33.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 9,289

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-8.04%

Cappuccino

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$3.05 IQD 3,998

-33.11%

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

$0.47 IQD 609

$0.37 IQD 482

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.22 IQD 286

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,038

$3.37 IQD 4,410

14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 IQD 3,382

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.31 IQD 1,715

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 917

$0.84 IQD 1,094

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,857

$1.57 IQD 2,058

-9.55%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,428

$0.80 IQD 1,045

131.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

$4.59 IQD 6,007

80.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 IQD 9,132

$2.02 IQD 2,646

245.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$3.01 IQD 3,943

342.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,382

$0.99 IQD 1,291

7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.17 IQD 1,531

16.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$0.97 IQD 1,275

7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.68 IQD 894

-13.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$0.69 IQD 908

-2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.63 IQD 831

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.29 IQD 374

175.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.20 IQD 262

110.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$0.82 IQD 1,078

130.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 IQD 4,126

$1.78 IQD 2,335

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 IQD 5,156

$2.07 IQD 2,716

90.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.36 IQD 473

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

-27.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,025

$3.81 IQD 4,988

-39.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.50 IQD 1,960

54.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 IQD 8,900

$7.55 IQD 9,884

-9.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 766

$0.57 IQD 742

1.75%

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

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-33.75%

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

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

15.96%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$177 IQD 231.6K

-68.02%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

-2.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

-7.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

-0.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

-7.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.43 IQD 9,735

3.77%

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

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

$165 IQD 215.8K

-42.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

5.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

-33.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

-4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 IQD 593.2K

$242 IQD 316.9K

87.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 172.4K

$182 IQD 238.0K

-27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 IQD 1.2M

$573 IQD 750.4K

57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 IQD 857.9K

$349 IQD 457.0K

87.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 IQD 996.3K

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 26, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Basra and $242 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Basra vs $37.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $130, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Mashhad differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $851 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,092 in Basra and $1,277 in Mashhad 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: $453 in Basra versus $242 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mashhad pay roughly 64% 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 $24.00 versus $37.00 in Mashhad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Basra versus $851 in Mashhad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Mashhad. 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 Mashhad 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 17% less than in Mashhad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.