Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Tikrit Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Tikrit

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $728 in Basra versus $751 in Tikrit.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Basra versus $1,152 in Tikrit.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Basra versus $1,553 in Tikrit.

Living in Basra costs roughly 3% less than in Tikrit, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Tikrit 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$3.99 IQD 5,219

-4.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

$24.41 IQD 32.0K

-0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 9,289

$6.81 IQD 8,924

4.11%

Cappuccino

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$2.57 IQD 3,362

-20.62%

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

$0.47 IQD 609

$0.36 IQD 476

30.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.18 IQD 229

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,038

$2.97 IQD 3,890

29.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 IQD 3,382

$2.95 IQD 3,868

-12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.31 IQD 1,709

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 917

$0.78 IQD 1,027

-10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,857

$1.60 IQD 2,098

-11.25%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,428

$1.71 IQD 2,240

8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

$4.40 IQD 5,763

87.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 IQD 9,131

$4.61 IQD 6,040

51.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$13.41 IQD 17.6K

-0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,382

$1.15 IQD 1,510

-7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.17 IQD 1,532

16.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.05 IQD 1,371

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.74 IQD 965

-20.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$0.64 IQD 843

4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.66 IQD 868

-15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.68 IQD 892

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.56 IQD 728

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$1.96 IQD 2,565

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 IQD 4,125

$1.79 IQD 2,349

75.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 IQD 5,155

$2.17 IQD 2,836

81.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.40 IQD 519

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

-25.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,025

$2.33 IQD 3,051

-0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$1.48 IQD 1,942

56.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 IQD 8,900

$5.91 IQD 7,738

15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 766

$0.56 IQD 739

3.57%

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

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

-28.62%

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

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

14.19%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$76.4 IQD 100.1K

-26.00%

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

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

44.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

$33.93 IQD 44.4K

11.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

$36.77 IQD 48.2K

-1.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

-6.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-1.28%

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

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

$151 IQD 197.9K

-36.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

$3,306 IQD 4.3M

13.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

50.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

$25.02 IQD 32.8K

-19.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

$41.18 IQD 53.9K

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 IQD 593.2K

$238 IQD 312.2K

89.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 172.4K

$182 IQD 238.0K

-27.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 IQD 1.2M

$571 IQD 747.1K

58.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 IQD 857.9K

$339 IQD 444.1K

93.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 IQD 996.3K

$319 IQD 418.2K

138.21%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tikrit: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Basra and $238 in Tikrit. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 138% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Basra vs $24.00 in Tikrit. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $157, with Tikrit 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 Tikrit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Tikrit differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $751 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 138% 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: $453 in Basra versus $238 in Tikrit. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tikrit pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $24.00 in Tikrit. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Basra versus $751 in Tikrit, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Tikrit. 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.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Tikrit. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.