Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Mosul Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Mosul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $965 in Basra versus $653 in Mosul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,480 in Basra versus $1,030 in Mosul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Basra versus $1,407 in Mosul.

Living in Basra is roughly 48% more expensive than in Mosul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 IQD 6,109

$3.34 IQD 4,380

39.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

62.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$6.23 IQD 8,156

25.68%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,499

$1.62 IQD 2,118

64.81%

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

$0.47 IQD 610

$0.37 IQD 489

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 448

$0.17 IQD 226

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 IQD 4,987

$1.57 IQD 2,051

142.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 IQD 5,619

$1.56 IQD 2,043

175.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$0.80 IQD 1,047

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 851

$0.80 IQD 1,045

-18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,830

$1.33 IQD 1,739

5.26%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,448

$1.49 IQD 1,956

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 IQD 9,963

$3.59 IQD 4,707

111.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 IQD 8,094

$4.34 IQD 5,687

42.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$11.71 IQD 15.3K

18.10%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,277

$0.69 IQD 900

40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.07 IQD 1,401

27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$0.71 IQD 929

43.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$0.53 IQD 692

22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 975

$0.49 IQD 644

51.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 858

$0.44 IQD 582

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 IQD 1,156

$0.39 IQD 515

125.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 IQD 499

$0.66 IQD 862

-42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,789

$1.88 IQD 2,463

13.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 IQD 9,160

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$1.96 IQD 2,564

52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 IQD 4,853

$1.90 IQD 2,485

95.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 720

$0.39 IQD 513

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

$75.4 IQD 98.7K

-74.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$1.57 IQD 2,061

42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,056

$1.48 IQD 1,944

57.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 IQD 9,383

$4.51 IQD 5,907

58.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 726

$0.50 IQD 661

10.00%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$17.2K IQD 22.6M

-23.11%

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

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

12.58%

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

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

$88.0 IQD 115.3K

-41.83%

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

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

66.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

$34.00 IQD 44.5K

13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

$23.85 IQD 31.2K

51.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

$25.99 IQD 34.0K

-46.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,837

$9.78 IQD 12.8K

-23.21%

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

$124 IQD 162.5K

$200 IQD 261.7K

-37.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

$3,569 IQD 4.7M

5.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

310.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

$18.90 IQD 24.8K

8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

195.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

62.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 IQD 605.8K

$162 IQD 212.7K

184.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

$114 IQD 149.7K

204.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 IQD 1.1M

$281 IQD 368.5K

199.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 IQD 827.8K

$284 IQD 371.4K

122.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

$812 IQD 1.1M

92.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$927 IQD 1.2M

-16.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$477 IQD 624.2K

61.25%

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: September 8, 2026

Last update for Mosul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Basra and $162 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 61% 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 Mosul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $151 per month, with Mosul 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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Mosul differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($965 vs $653 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 61% 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 $162 in Mosul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mosul – 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 $653 in Mosul versus $965 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mosul but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Mosul 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 Mosul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.