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: $624 in Mosul versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Mosul versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,383 in Mosul versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Mosul costs roughly 16% 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

$3.48 IQD 4,562

$3.81 IQD 4,990

-8.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 IQD 8,090

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-11.97%

Cappuccino

$1.61 IQD 2,111

$2.06 IQD 2,695

-21.84%

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

$0.40 IQD 525

$0.44 IQD 572

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 283

$0.35 IQD 452

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 IQD 2,034

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-59.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 IQD 2,037

$2.70 IQD 3,532

-42.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 IQD 1,230

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-23.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,079

$0.70 IQD 919

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,682

$1.41 IQD 1,850

-9.22%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,000

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-20.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,553

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-56.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,979

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-47.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-10.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 887

$1.01 IQD 1,321

-32.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,406

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-24.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$1.02 IQD 1,331

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 603

$0.63 IQD 820

-26.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.71 IQD 932

-36.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 753

$0.57 IQD 744

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 IQD 580

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-46.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 687

$0.41 IQD 541

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,566

$1.88 IQD 2,458

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 IQD 9,859

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

-40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,873

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-51.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 IQD 2,462

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.39 IQD 516

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

226.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 IQD 2,042

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-32.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,922

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 IQD 6,049

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-31.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 754

$0.58 IQD 762

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

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

30.44%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-12.08%

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

$102 IQD 133.3K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

79.92%

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

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-38.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-22.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

-39.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

41.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

21.94%

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

$176 IQD 230.2K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

81.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-12.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-63.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-63.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

-37.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 IQD 198.9K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-66.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

$133 IQD 174.1K

-34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 IQD 347.3K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-71.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 IQD 374.3K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-57.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$814 IQD 1.1M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

-48.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 IQD 1.2M

$800 IQD 1.0M

15.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 IQD 621.9K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-37.73%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Mosul and $455 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 $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $213 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 19% in total monthly costs ($624 vs $742 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 61% less. 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: $152 in Mosul versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% 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 $624 in Mosul versus $742 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 19% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.