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: $965 in Basra versus $937 in Rayong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,480 in Basra versus $1,178 in Rayong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Basra versus $1,419 in Rayong.

Living in Basra is roughly 3% more expensive than in Rayong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Rayong 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 IQD 6,109

$3.07 ฿102

51.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$18.20 ฿601

70.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$7.75 ฿256

1.03%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,499

$1.64 ฿54.1

62.80%

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

$0.47 IQD 610

$0.51 ฿16.96

-7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 IQD 448

$0.26 ฿8.50

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 IQD 4,987

$1.80 ฿59.4

111.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 IQD 5,619

$2.98 ฿98.4

43.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.91 ฿63.2

-41.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 IQD 851

$1.34 ฿44.13

-51.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,830

$1.54 ฿50.8

-9.09%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,448

$2.65 ฿87.5

-29.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 IQD 9,963

$17.59 ฿581

-56.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 IQD 8,094

$2.85 ฿94.3

116.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$13.53 ฿447

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,277

$3.42 ฿113

-71.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.90 ฿62.7

-28.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$2.24 ฿74.1

-54.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 856

$2.04 ฿67.5

-68.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 975

$1.80 ฿59.6

-58.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 858

$1.56 ฿51.5

-57.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 IQD 1,156

$1.26 ฿41.63

-30.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 IQD 499

$0.57 ฿18.78

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,789

$4.66 ฿154

-54.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 IQD 9,160

$15.10 ฿499

-53.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 IQD 3,903

$1.84 ฿60.9

61.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 IQD 4,853

$3.28 ฿108

13.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 720

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$1.03 ฿34.07

117.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,056

$1.20 ฿39.67

94.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 IQD 9,383

$6.00 ฿198

19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 726

$1.43 ฿47.38

-61.54%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$32.0K ฿1.1M

-58.54%

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

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

$27.4K ฿904.2K

-16.22%

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

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

$44.86 ฿1,482

14.16%

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

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

$14.71 ฿486

74.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

$12.29 ฿406

213.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

$67.7 ฿2,238

-46.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

$18.33 ฿606

-24.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,837

$6.76 ฿223

11.09%

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

$124 IQD 162.5K

$544 ฿18.0K

-77.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

$17.2K ฿568.3K

-78.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

$30.19 ฿998

65.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

$44.67 ฿1,476

-54.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

$97.9 ฿3,235

-19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$77.2 ฿2,551

-45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 IQD 605.8K

$425 ฿14.1K

8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

$303 ฿10.0K

14.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 IQD 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 IQD 827.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$1,990 ฿65.8K

-60.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$785 ฿25.9K

-2.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.38

5.39%

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

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Last update for Rayong: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Basra and $425 in Rayong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Basra vs $18.00 in Rayong. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $271, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($965 vs $937 including rent). Rayong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $463 in Basra versus $425 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $124 in Basra versus $544 in Rayong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rayong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $937 in Rayong versus $965 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rayong but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Rayong 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 Rayong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.