Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Basra

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $520 a month against $750 in Basra, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Delhi
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Delhi Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Basra
Learn more

Basra Living Index

Jump to prices

Delhi

🇮🇳 India

$520

/mo nomad

Basra

🇮🇶 Iraq

$750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Basra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Delhi and in Basra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $520 in Delhi versus $750 in Basra.

Delhi $520
Basra $750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $858 in Delhi versus $1,357 in Basra.

Delhi $858
Basra $1,357

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,195 in Delhi versus $1,964 in Basra.

Delhi $1,195
Basra $1,964

Living in Delhi costs roughly 31% less than in Basra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Delhi 61% lower, Basra 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 ₹355

$4.46 IQD 6,745

-17.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.95 ₹2,027

$30.01 IQD 45.3K

-30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 ₹362

$7.50 IQD 11.3K

-50.13%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₹226

$2.64 IQD 3,982

-11.74%

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

$0.37 ₹35.82

$0.43 IQD 650

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹18.91

$0.32 IQD 483

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ₹195

$3.71 IQD 5,603

-45.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₹308

$4.27 IQD 6,450

-25.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₹65.9

$1.11 IQD 1,679

-38.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.68 IQD 1,034

-23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₹80.0

$1.40 IQD 2,120

-40.71%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹104

$1.81 IQD 2,732

-40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.43 ₹428

$7.57 IQD 11.4K

-41.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ₹326

$6.27 IQD 9,479

-46.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 IQD 21.1K

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 ₹192

$1.03 IQD 1,551

93.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹70.1

$1.31 IQD 1,981

-45.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 ₹98.4

$1.03 IQD 1,553

-0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.64 IQD 973

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 ₹25.96

$0.72 IQD 1,094

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.42

$0.67 IQD 1,009

-44.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.64

$0.93 IQD 1,404

-53.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.39

$0.41 IQD 624

-24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ₹476

$2.12 IQD 3,204

132.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 ₹808

$12.11 IQD 18.3K

-31.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹159

$1.62 IQD 2,453

1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₹261

$1.96 IQD 2,960

37.76%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.15 ₹596

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₹44.04

$0.55 IQD 830

-16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.29 ₹1,480

$19.42 IQD 29.3K

-21.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹99.8

$2.24 IQD 3,384

-54.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹26.38

$2.33 IQD 3,518

-88.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹148

$7.46 IQD 11.3K

-79.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₹102

$0.61 IQD 917

72.13%

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

$10.5K ₹1.0M

$13.2K IQD 20.0M

-20.95%

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

$18.4K ₹1.8M

$22.5K IQD 34.0M

-18.37%

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

$42.67 ₹4,129

$50.3 IQD 76.1K

-15.24%

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

$4.04 ₹391

$25.65 IQD 38.8K

-84.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.75 ₹653

$38.51 IQD 58.2K

-82.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.40 ₹1,878

$36.03 IQD 54.4K

-46.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.06 ₹780

$13.80 IQD 20.9K

-41.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 ₹492

$7.61 IQD 11.5K

-33.25%

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

$100 ₹9,696

$128 IQD 192.9K

-21.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,268 ₹219.5K

$3,814 IQD 5.8M

-40.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.14 ₹2,336

$49.10 IQD 74.2K

-50.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 ₹2,747

$20.77 IQD 31.4K

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.3 ₹5,160

$77.6 IQD 117.3K

-31.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.13 ₹4,271

$42.13 IQD 63.7K

4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₹25.5K

$462 IQD 698.8K

-42.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 ₹14.9K

$151 IQD 227.9K

2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 ₹71.2K

$848 IQD 1.3M

-13.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₹38.5K

$623 IQD 941.2K

-36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,494 ₹241.4K

$1,615 IQD 2.4M

54.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,017 ₹98.4K

$800 IQD 1.2M

27.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 ₹56.7K

$749 IQD 1.1M

-21.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

3.33

150.15%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 6, 2026

Last update for Basra: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Delhi

$154 29.7%

Basra

$151 20% 2.1% $3.3

Groceries & Markets

Delhi

$108 20.8%

Basra

$196 26% 81.1% $88

Eating Out

Delhi

$87 16.8%

Basra

$120 15.9% 37.4% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Delhi

$67 13%

Basra

$85 11.3% 26.4% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Delhi

$53 10.3%

Basra

$115 15.2% 114% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Delhi

$30 5.7%

Basra

$51 6.8% 73.4% $22

Getting Around

Delhi

$20 3.8%

Basra

$35 4.7% 81.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $264 in Delhi and $462 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 28% 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: $21.00 in Delhi vs $30.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $196 per month, with Delhi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Delhi

🇮🇶 Basra

🕒 Local time

12:31 12:31 PM

10:01 10:01 AM

2 h 30 min behind Delhi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,787,941 Capital

2,150,000

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.33 USD

1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 INR (1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,695 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Delhi Basra 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Delhi
Basra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Delhi vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Delhi and Basra differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($520 vs $750 including rent). Delhi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Basra. 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: $264 in Delhi versus $462 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Delhi – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $30.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Delhi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Delhi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.