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: $653 in Mosul versus $965 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,030 in Mosul versus $1,480 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,407 in Mosul versus $1,995 in Basra.

Living in Mosul costs roughly 32% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.34 IQD 4,380

$4.66 IQD 6,109

-28.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

-38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 IQD 8,156

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-20.43%

Cappuccino

$1.62 IQD 2,118

$2.67 IQD 3,499

-39.33%

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

$0.37 IQD 489

$0.47 IQD 610

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.34 IQD 448

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 IQD 2,051

$3.81 IQD 4,987

-58.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 IQD 2,043

$4.29 IQD 5,619

-63.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 IQD 1,047

$1.12 IQD 1,467

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$0.65 IQD 851

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,739

$1.40 IQD 1,830

-5.00%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.87 IQD 2,448

-20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.59 IQD 4,707

$7.61 IQD 9,963

-52.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 IQD 5,687

$6.18 IQD 8,094

-29.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.71 IQD 15.3K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-15.33%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$0.97 IQD 1,277

-28.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,401

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-21.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$1.02 IQD 1,339

-30.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 IQD 692

$0.65 IQD 856

-18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 644

$0.74 IQD 975

-33.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 IQD 582

$0.66 IQD 858

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.88 IQD 1,156

-55.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 862

$0.38 IQD 499

73.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,463

$2.13 IQD 2,789

-11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$6.99 IQD 9,160

12.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,564

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$3.71 IQD 4,853

-48.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.55 IQD 720

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 IQD 98.7K

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

293.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 IQD 2,061

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,944

$2.33 IQD 3,056

-36.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 IQD 5,907

$7.16 IQD 9,383

-37.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 661

$0.55 IQD 726

-9.09%

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

$17.2K IQD 22.6M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

30.06%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

-11.18%

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

$88.0 IQD 115.3K

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

71.92%

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

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

-39.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.00 IQD 44.5K

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

-11.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.85 IQD 31.2K

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

-33.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 IQD 34.0K

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

88.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 IQD 12.8K

$7.51 IQD 9,837

30.23%

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

$200 IQD 261.7K

$124 IQD 162.5K

61.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,569 IQD 4.7M

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

-5.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

-75.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.90 IQD 24.8K

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

-7.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

-66.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 IQD 212.7K

$463 IQD 605.8K

-64.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 IQD 149.7K

$348 IQD 455.2K

-67.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 368.5K

$843 IQD 1.1M

-66.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 IQD 371.4K

$632 IQD 827.8K

-55.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$812 IQD 1.1M

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

-48.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$927 IQD 1.2M

$778 IQD 1.0M

19.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 IQD 624.2K

$769 IQD 1.0M

-37.99%

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 Mosul: September 6, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Mosul and $463 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 61% 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 $31.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $194 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 48% in total monthly costs ($653 vs $965 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 61% 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: $162 in Mosul versus $463 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $653 in Mosul versus $965 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 48% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.