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: $640 in Mashhad versus $957 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mashhad versus $1,450 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,223 in Mashhad versus $1,944 in Basra.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 33% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 53% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 IQD 6,120

$4.51 IQD 5,906

3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

$7.42 IQD 9,712

3.10%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,035

$2.55 IQD 3,345

20.78%

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

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.44 IQD 571

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 312

$0.34 IQD 445

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 IQD 5,082

$3.90 IQD 5,113

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 IQD 5,088

$4.12 IQD 5,398

-5.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,371

$1.12 IQD 1,462

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$0.70 IQD 917

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$1.47 IQD 1,919

7.48%

Eggs

$0.81 IQD 1,063

$1.82 IQD 2,380

-55.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,980

$7.53 IQD 9,861

-49.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 IQD 2,676

$6.36 IQD 8,333

-67.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.92 IQD 3,820

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-79.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,325

$0.97 IQD 1,273

4.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,281

$0.97 IQD 1,274

1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$0.65 IQD 856

4.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$0.77 IQD 1,013

-12.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 837

$0.65 IQD 856

-1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 407

$0.87 IQD 1,133

-64.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.39 IQD 509

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.76 IQD 996

$2.08 IQD 2,726

-63.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

$6.74 IQD 8,823

101.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,799

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,953

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-42.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 784

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$2.36 IQD 3,089

-4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$2.27 IQD 2,967

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 IQD 9,851

$7.06 IQD 9,240

6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 857

$0.60 IQD 783

8.33%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

40.33%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-18.62%

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

$215 IQD 281.7K

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

318.32%

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

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

-18.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

$7.60 IQD 9,955

39.47%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$127 IQD 166.6K

29.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-9.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

-40.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

90.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

-3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.47 IQD 60.8K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 IQD 624.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 IQD 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 IQD 819.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 IQD 1.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.67

-27.34%

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

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Mashhad vs $31.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $127 vs $197, 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 50% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $957 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $960 in Mashhad and $1,436 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.

Childcare runs $165 in Mashhad versus $127 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $957 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.