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: $739 in Basra versus $632 in Mosul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Basra versus $1,006 in Mosul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,996 in Basra versus $1,380 in Mosul.

Living in Basra is roughly 17% more expensive than in Mosul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$3.47 IQD 4,547

9.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$6.08 IQD 7,956

10.86%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$1.61 IQD 2,109

26.09%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.40 IQD 528

17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.21 IQD 278

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$1.55 IQD 2,033

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$1.50 IQD 1,964

72.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.01 IQD 1,319

21.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$0.82 IQD 1,073

-14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,906

$1.29 IQD 1,690

13.18%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,467

$1.59 IQD 2,076

18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$3.56 IQD 4,665

132.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$3.94 IQD 5,165

75.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$0.73 IQD 953

43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,756

$1.06 IQD 1,389

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$0.72 IQD 942

38.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$0.47 IQD 611

25.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.45 IQD 592

51.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$0.58 IQD 760

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.48 IQD 622

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.52 IQD 676

-21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.93 IQD 2,523

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$7.60 IQD 9,958

73.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.40 IQD 1,831

115.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$1.88 IQD 2,461

108.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.36 IQD 477

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-69.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$1.49 IQD 1,949

53.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$1.47 IQD 1,927

53.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$4.48 IQD 5,864

54.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.52 IQD 686

7.69%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

-24.82%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

11.64%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$100 IQD 131.1K

-43.40%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

70.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

30.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$22.10 IQD 28.9K

64.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$21.90 IQD 28.7K

-29.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$9.68 IQD 12.7K

-19.21%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$180 IQD 236.3K

-45.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$3,281 IQD 4.3M

16.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

179.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

5.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$26.54 IQD 34.7K

164.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

61.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$150 IQD 196.2K

197.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$87.6 IQD 114.7K

55.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$267 IQD 349.3K

240.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.8K

$282 IQD 368.8K

130.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

$792 IQD 1.0M

102.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

$913 IQD 1.2M

-14.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

$489 IQD 640.2K

53.90%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mosul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Basra and $150 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 54% 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 $212 vs $147 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 17% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $632 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 54% 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: $445 in Basra versus $150 in Mosul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% 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 $632 in Mosul versus $739 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 17% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.