Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $851 in Mashhad versus $728 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,277 in Mashhad versus $1,366 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,702 in Mashhad versus $2,003 in Basra.

Living in Mashhad is roughly 17% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 36% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,877

$3.80 IQD 4,974

38.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

50.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.09 IQD 9,289

8.74%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,998

$2.04 IQD 2,675

49.51%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.47 IQD 609

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 286

$0.35 IQD 454

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 IQD 4,410

$3.85 IQD 5,038

-12.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,853

$2.58 IQD 3,382

13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,715

$1.18 IQD 1,551

11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,094

$0.70 IQD 917

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$1.42 IQD 1,857

10.56%

Eggs

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$1.85 IQD 2,428

-56.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.59 IQD 6,007

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.02 IQD 2,646

$6.97 IQD 9,132

-71.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.01 IQD 3,943

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

-77.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,291

$1.06 IQD 1,382

-6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,275

$1.04 IQD 1,363

-6.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.59 IQD 769

15.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 908

$0.67 IQD 872

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 831

$0.56 IQD 737

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 IQD 374

$0.80 IQD 1,044

-63.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.42 IQD 548

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.82 IQD 1,078

$1.89 IQD 2,479

-56.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,335

$3.15 IQD 4,126

-43.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,716

$3.94 IQD 5,156

-47.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.39 IQD 511

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

37.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 IQD 4,988

$2.31 IQD 3,025

64.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 IQD 1,960

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-35.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 IQD 9,884

$6.80 IQD 8,900

11.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 742

$0.58 IQD 766

-1.72%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

50.94%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

-13.76%

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

$177 IQD 231.6K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

212.73%

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

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

0.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

7.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,735

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-3.63%

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

$165 IQD 215.8K

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

72.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

-5.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

-30.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

51.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

-9.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

4.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.9K

$453 IQD 593.2K

-46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.0K

$132 IQD 172.4K

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.4K

$902 IQD 1.2M

-36.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.0K

$655 IQD 857.9K

-46.73%

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

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 Mashhad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Mashhad and $453 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mashhad vs $24.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $130 vs $213, with Mashhad 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

Mashhad vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad and Basra differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($851 vs $728 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,277 in Mashhad and $1,092 in Basra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Mashhad versus $453 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mashhad pay roughly 64% 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 $37.00 in Mashhad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Basra versus $851 in Mashhad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Mashhad. 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, Mashhad 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 17% less than in Mashhad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.