Cost of Living Comparison Between Mosul and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Mosul and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $632 in Mosul versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in Mosul versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,380 in Mosul versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Mosul costs roughly 14% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mosul 53% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 IQD 4,547

$3.79 IQD 4,959

-8.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

-23.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 IQD 7,956

$6.74 IQD 8,831

-9.79%

Cappuccino

$1.61 IQD 2,109

$2.03 IQD 2,656

-20.69%

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

$0.40 IQD 528

$0.47 IQD 612

-14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 278

$0.35 IQD 452

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 IQD 2,033

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,964

$2.59 IQD 3,391

-42.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 IQD 1,319

$1.23 IQD 1,608

-17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$0.70 IQD 922

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,690

$1.46 IQD 1,906

-11.64%

Eggs

$1.59 IQD 2,076

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,665

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-56.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 IQD 5,165

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-43.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

-10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 953

$1.05 IQD 1,370

-30.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,389

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 942

$1.00 IQD 1,316

-28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 IQD 611

$0.59 IQD 774

-20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 IQD 592

$0.68 IQD 894

-33.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.60 IQD 789

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 IQD 622

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 676

$0.41 IQD 542

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$1.95 IQD 2,559

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 IQD 9,958

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

-42.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 IQD 1,831

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 IQD 2,461

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-52.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.37 IQD 479

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

231.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 IQD 1,949

$2.28 IQD 2,992

-34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,927

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-34.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 IQD 5,864

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-35.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 IQD 686

$0.56 IQD 732

-7.14%

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

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

33.01%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-10.43%

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

$100 IQD 131.1K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

76.69%

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

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-41.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-23.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.10 IQD 28.9K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

-39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 IQD 28.7K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

40.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 IQD 12.7K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

23.79%

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

$180 IQD 236.3K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

84.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,281 IQD 4.3M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-13.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-64.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

-5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.54 IQD 34.7K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-62.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 IQD 196.2K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.6 IQD 114.7K

$136 IQD 178.0K

-35.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 IQD 349.3K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-70.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 IQD 368.8K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-56.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$792 IQD 1.0M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

-50.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$913 IQD 1.2M

$783 IQD 1.0M

16.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 IQD 640.2K

$752 IQD 985.3K

-35.02%

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 Mosul: July 12, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $150 in Mosul and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 54% 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: $19.00 in Mosul vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $212 per month, with Mosul 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

Mosul vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mosul and Basra differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($632 vs $739 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% 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: $150 in Mosul versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Basra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mosul – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $25.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $632 in Mosul versus $739 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mosul but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Mosul 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.

Expats usually find Mosul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.