Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Erbil versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Erbil versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Erbil versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Erbil is roughly 39% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 23% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$3.81 IQD 4,990

102.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

-7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$7.02 IQD 9,193

27.92%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$2.06 IQD 2,695

51.94%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.44 IQD 572

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.35 IQD 452

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.70 IQD 3,532

-20.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.23 IQD 1,607

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.70 IQD 919

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.41 IQD 1,850

27.66%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.92 IQD 2,512

3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-33.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$1.01 IQD 1,321

12.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.02 IQD 1,331

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.63 IQD 820

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.71 IQD 932

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$0.57 IQD 744

26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.41 IQD 541

29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$1.88 IQD 2,458

39.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

-1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-51.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.39 IQD 516

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

46.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$2.31 IQD 3,028

1.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-0.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$6.76 IQD 8,847

1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.58 IQD 762

20.69%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

43.98%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-10.88%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

81.05%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-28.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-23.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

96.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

-23.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

49.94%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

177.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-21.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

138.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

88.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$133 IQD 174.1K

109.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-27.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

-28.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$800 IQD 1.0M

-17.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-23.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

5.67

152.73%

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

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Erbil and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Erbil vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $213 per month, with Erbil 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

Erbil vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erbil and Basra differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $742 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 31% less. 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: $426 in Erbil versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Erbil pay roughly 8% 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 $25.00 versus $23.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,034 in Erbil, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Erbil. 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, Erbil and Basra 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 39% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.