Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Rayong Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Rayong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Basra versus $859 in Rayong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Basra versus $1,409 in Rayong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,996 in Basra versus $1,959 in Rayong.

Living in Basra costs roughly 14% less than in Rayong, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$3.06 ฿103

23.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$18.84 ฿634

34.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$6.33 ฿213

6.48%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.53 ฿85.2

-19.76%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.53 ฿17.88

-11.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.27 ฿9.01

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$1.81 ฿60.9

105.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$3.11 ฿105

-16.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.82 ฿61.2

-32.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$1.30 ฿43.64

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,906

$1.26 ฿42.30

15.87%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,467

$2.15 ฿72.2

-12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$18.56 ฿625

-55.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$2.08 ฿69.9

233.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$9.09 ฿306

44.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$2.51 ฿84.6

-58.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,756

$1.25 ฿41.94

7.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$2.00 ฿67.3

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$1.05 ฿35.28

-43.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$1.25 ฿42.19

-45.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$1.25 ฿42.07

-52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.79 ฿26.73

-1.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.41 ฿13.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$4.43 ฿149

-55.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$17.53 ฿590

-24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.83 ฿61.7

65.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$3.42 ฿115

14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.90 ฿30.44

-58.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$1.07 ฿35.99

113.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$1.14 ฿38.43

98.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$6.11 ฿206

13.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$1.25 ฿42.03

-55.20%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$36.9K ฿1.2M

-64.35%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$28.8K ฿968.6K

-21.42%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$57.4 ฿1,930

-1.20%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$12.73 ฿428

101.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$17.12 ฿576

125.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$68.8 ฿2,314

-47.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$18.46 ฿621

-15.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.89 ฿266

-0.89%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$603 ฿20.3K

-83.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$9,337 ฿314.2K

-59.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$49.64 ฿1,670

-14.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$39.29 ฿1,322

-47.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$77.5 ฿2,609

-9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$59.0 ฿1,985

-30.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$422 ฿14.2K

5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$230 ฿7,731

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$827 ฿27.8K

9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.8K

$667 ฿22.4K

-2.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

$2,016 ฿67.8K

-61.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

$753 ฿25.3K

-0.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.5

3.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rayong: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Basra and $422 in Rayong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 0% 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 Rayong. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $237, with Basra 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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Rayong differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $859 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Rayong. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Basra versus $422 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.0 in Basra versus $603 in Rayong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $19.00 in Rayong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Basra versus $859 in Rayong, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Rayong. 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 Rayong 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 16% less than in Rayong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.