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: $742 in Basra versus $624 in Mosul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,003 in Mosul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $1,383 in Mosul.

Living in Basra is roughly 19% more expensive than Mosul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$3.48 IQD 4,562

9.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

30.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$6.18 IQD 8,090

13.59%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$1.61 IQD 2,111

27.95%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.40 IQD 525

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.22 IQD 283

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$1.55 IQD 2,034

149.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$1.56 IQD 2,037

73.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.94 IQD 1,230

30.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.82 IQD 1,079

-14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.28 IQD 1,682

10.16%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.53 IQD 2,000

25.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$3.48 IQD 4,553

131.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$3.80 IQD 4,979

90.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

12.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$0.68 IQD 887

48.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.07 IQD 1,406

32.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$0.68 IQD 888

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.46 IQD 603

36.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.45 IQD 590

57.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.58 IQD 753

-1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.44 IQD 580

88.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.52 IQD 687

-21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.96 IQD 2,566

-4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$7.53 IQD 9,859

69.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.43 IQD 1,873

107.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$1.88 IQD 2,462

101.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.36 IQD 473

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-69.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.56 IQD 2,042

48.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$1.47 IQD 1,922

50.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$4.62 IQD 6,049

46.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.58 IQD 754

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

-23.34%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

13.74%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$102 IQD 133.3K

-44.42%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

62.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

29.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

64.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

-29.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

-17.99%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$176 IQD 230.2K

-44.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

14.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

174.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

4.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

172.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

59.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$152 IQD 198.9K

199.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$265 IQD 347.3K

246.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$286 IQD 374.3K

134.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$814 IQD 1.1M

94.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$925 IQD 1.2M

-13.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$475 IQD 621.9K

60.58%

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 Mosul: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $152 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: $25.00 in Basra vs $19.00 in Mosul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $145 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 19% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $624 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Basra pays 61% 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 $152 in Mosul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% 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 $25.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $624 in Mosul versus $742 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 19% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.