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: $1,095 in Erbil versus $962 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Erbil versus $1,458 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,213 in Erbil versus $1,955 in Basra.

Living in Erbil is roughly 14% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erbil 20% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$4.60 IQD 6,028

66.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$30.03 IQD 39.3K

49.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$7.50 IQD 9,827

9.47%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$2.56 IQD 3,351

47.66%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$0.46 IQD 604

121.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.35 IQD 454

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$3.85 IQD 5,048

55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$4.31 IQD 5,640

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$1.11 IQD 1,460

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$0.64 IQD 844

23.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.40 IQD 1,836

21.43%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$1.87 IQD 2,452

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$7.57 IQD 9,914

9.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$6.38 IQD 8,353

-13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

4.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$1.03 IQD 1,343

6.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.38 IQD 1,802

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$0.99 IQD 1,292

23.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$0.69 IQD 904

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$0.79 IQD 1,033

-6.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.63 IQD 824

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.87 IQD 1,146

-9.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$0.41 IQD 539

41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$2.12 IQD 2,779

18.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$6.75 IQD 8,839

87.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$3.10 IQD 4,058

-45.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$3.83 IQD 5,020

-46.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$0.55 IQD 716

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

125.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.22 IQD 2,910

-13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$2.34 IQD 3,059

-25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$7.44 IQD 9,746

-12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$0.55 IQD 722

21.82%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$13.2K IQD 17.3M

36.08%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$23.0K IQD 30.2M

-14.49%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$49.68 IQD 65.1K

162.00%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

-44.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$39.02 IQD 51.1K

-28.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

77.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

5.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

45.84%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$127 IQD 165.9K

146.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$3,845 IQD 5.0M

-19.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$49.73 IQD 65.1K

-37.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$20.19 IQD 26.4K

123.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$79.4 IQD 104.0K

-14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$41.95 IQD 54.9K

62.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$469 IQD 614.4K

0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.6K

$339 IQD 443.5K

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$860 IQD 1.1M

-14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$628 IQD 822.0K

-32.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$1,564 IQD 2.0M

-28.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$800 IQD 1.0M

-19.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

$769 IQD 1.0M

-20.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.67

-55.38%

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

Last update for Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Basra: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Erbil and $469 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Erbil vs $30.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $197 per month, with Basra 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,095 vs $962 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $473 in Erbil versus $469 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Erbil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $45.00 in Erbil. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Basra versus $1,095 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 14% less than in Erbil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.