Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 198% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Basra is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.81 IQD 4,990

317.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

161.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.02 IQD 9,193

49.72%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.06 IQD 2,695

39.32%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.44 IQD 572

409.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.35 IQD 452

328.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.70 IQD 3,532

43.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.70 IQD 919

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.41 IQD 1,850

24.82%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.92 IQD 2,512

67.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

67.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.22 IQD 9,457

9.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.01 IQD 1,321

128.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.42 IQD 1,858

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.02 IQD 1,331

97.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.63 IQD 820

290.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.71 IQD 932

159.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.57 IQD 744

250.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.83 IQD 1,085

132.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.41 IQD 541

92.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.88 IQD 2,458

251.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-53.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.39 IQD 516

507.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

96.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.31 IQD 3,028

85.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-62.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$6.76 IQD 8,847

170.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.58 IQD 762

255.17%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

158.40%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

69.25%

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

$148 €127

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

161.35%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-18.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

29.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

22.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

18.45%

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

$614 €528

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

533.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

325.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

150.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

107.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

28.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

194.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$455 IQD 595.7K

257.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$133 IQD 174.1K

843.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$918 IQD 1.2M

230.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$671 IQD 878.0K

201.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

393.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$800 IQD 1.0M

433.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$763 IQD 998.7K

110.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.67

-32.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 110% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $213 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

Lisbon vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Basra differ by about 198% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $742 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 110% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. 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 $25.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon 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 198% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.