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: $937 in Rayong versus $965 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,178 in Rayong versus $1,480 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,419 in Rayong versus $1,995 in Basra.

Living in Rayong costs roughly 3% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rayong 32% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ฿102

$4.66 IQD 6,109

-34.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.20 ฿601

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

-41.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿256

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-1.02%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ฿54.1

$2.67 IQD 3,499

-38.58%

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

$0.51 ฿16.96

$0.47 IQD 610

8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ฿8.50

$0.34 IQD 448

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ฿59.4

$3.81 IQD 4,987

-52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ฿98.4

$4.29 IQD 5,619

-30.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ฿63.2

$1.12 IQD 1,467

70.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿44.13

$0.65 IQD 851

106.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.40 IQD 1,830

10.00%

Eggs

$2.65 ฿87.5

$1.87 IQD 2,448

41.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.59 ฿581

$7.61 IQD 9,963

131.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿94.3

$6.18 IQD 8,094

-53.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿447

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-2.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 ฿113

$0.97 IQD 1,277

252.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ฿62.7

$1.36 IQD 1,776

39.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.02 IQD 1,339

119.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 ฿67.5

$0.65 IQD 856

213.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$0.74 IQD 975

143.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 ฿51.5

$0.66 IQD 858

136.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.63

$0.88 IQD 1,156

43.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.78

$0.38 IQD 499

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 ฿154

$2.13 IQD 2,789

118.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 ฿499

$6.99 IQD 9,160

116.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ฿108

$3.71 IQD 4,853

-11.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 720

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ฿34.07

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-54.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.67

$2.33 IQD 3,056

-48.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿198

$7.16 IQD 9,383

-16.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.38

$0.55 IQD 726

160.00%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

141.22%

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

$27.4K ฿904.2K

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

19.36%

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

$44.86 ฿1,482

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

-12.40%

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

$14.71 ฿486

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

-42.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.29 ฿406

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

-68.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 ฿2,238

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

87.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 ฿606

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

32.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 ฿223

$7.51 IQD 9,837

-9.99%

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

$544 ฿18.0K

$124 IQD 162.5K

338.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ฿568.3K

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

356.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 ฿998

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

-39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.67 ฿1,476

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

118.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 ฿3,235

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

24.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 ฿2,551

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

84.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.1K

$463 IQD 605.8K

-8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ฿10.0K

$348 IQD 455.2K

-12.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 IQD 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 IQD 827.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,990 ฿65.8K

$778 IQD 1.0M

155.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 ฿25.9K

$769 IQD 1.0M

2.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.67

-5.11%

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

Last update for Rayong: September 6, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Rayong and $463 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Rayong vs $31.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $194, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($937 vs $965 including rent). Rayong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Rayong, 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: $425 in Rayong versus $463 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $544 in Rayong versus $124 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rayong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $937 in Rayong versus $965 in Basra, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rayong but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Rayong 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 Rayong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.