Cost of Living Comparison Between Rayong and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Rayong and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Rayong versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Rayong versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,008 in Rayong versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Rayong is roughly 14% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rayong 37% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ฿100

$3.81 IQD 4,990

-19.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿608

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

-24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 ฿198

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-13.68%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ฿83.4

$2.06 IQD 2,695

23.79%

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

$0.54 ฿17.61

$0.44 IQD 572

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.77

$0.35 IQD 452

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 ฿61.7

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-51.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ฿98.1

$2.70 IQD 3,532

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿61.1

$1.23 IQD 1,607

52.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ฿42.15

$0.70 IQD 919

84.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.02

$1.41 IQD 1,850

-10.64%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.5

$1.92 IQD 2,512

15.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.30 ฿598

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

127.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.07 ฿67.6

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-71.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.24 ฿302

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-30.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ฿81.9

$1.01 IQD 1,321

148.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.99

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.3

$1.02 IQD 1,331

99.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.55

$0.63 IQD 820

68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.30

$0.71 IQD 932

77.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.65

$0.57 IQD 744

112.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ฿24.41

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-9.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ฿13.57

$0.41 IQD 541

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ฿141

$1.88 IQD 2,458

129.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 ฿492

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.2

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿109

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-11.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.43

$0.39 IQD 516

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.41

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-54.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿37.12

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-48.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ฿204

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-7.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.11

$0.58 IQD 762

106.90%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

181.52%

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

$29.2K ฿952.8K

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

25.66%

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

$56.7 ฿1,850

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

0.12%

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

$12.52 ฿409

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-50.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.43 ฿569

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-54.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ฿2,251

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

85.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 ฿598

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

18.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ฿248

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-1.94%

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

$603 ฿19.7K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

521.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,058 ฿295.8K

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

140.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 ฿1,610

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

17.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.25 ฿1,249

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

88.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ฿2,541

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

6.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ฿1,937

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ฿13.7K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 ฿7,555

$133 IQD 174.1K

73.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿26.2K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-12.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ฿21.8K

$671 IQD 878.0K

-0.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 ฿64.9K

$800 IQD 1.0M

148.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 ฿25.7K

$763 IQD 998.7K

3.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.67

-3.00%

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

Last update for Rayong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in Rayong and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 3% 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 Rayong vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $213, with Basra 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

Rayong vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rayong and Basra differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($847 vs $742 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rayong pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $420 in Rayong versus $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $603 in Rayong versus $97.0 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $742 in Basra versus $847 in Rayong, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Rayong. 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, Rayong 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 14% less than in Rayong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.