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: $859 in Rayong versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Rayong versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,959 in Rayong versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Rayong is roughly 16% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rayong 36% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 ฿103

$3.79 IQD 4,959

-19.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 ฿632

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

-25.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 ฿213

$6.74 IQD 8,831

-6.08%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ฿85.0

$2.03 IQD 2,656

24.63%

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

$0.53 ฿17.84

$0.47 IQD 612

12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.99

$0.35 IQD 452

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-51.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ฿104

$2.59 IQD 3,391

20.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿61.0

$1.23 IQD 1,608

47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ฿43.53

$0.70 IQD 922

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.20

$1.46 IQD 1,906

-13.70%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.1

$1.88 IQD 2,467

14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.56 ฿623

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

124.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.7

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-69.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 ฿305

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

-30.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ฿84.4

$1.05 IQD 1,370

139.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.84

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ฿67.2

$1.00 IQD 1,316

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ฿35.20

$0.59 IQD 774

77.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 ฿42.09

$0.68 IQD 894

83.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.97

$0.60 IQD 789

108.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 ฿26.66

$0.78 IQD 1,022

1.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.86

$0.41 IQD 542

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$1.95 IQD 2,559

127.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.53 ฿589

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿61.6

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-39.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ฿115

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-12.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿30.37

$0.37 IQD 479

143.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$2.28 IQD 2,992

-53.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿38.34

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-49.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 ฿205

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-11.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.93

$0.56 IQD 732

123.21%

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

$36.9K ฿1.2M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

180.52%

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

$28.8K ฿966.3K

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

27.26%

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

$57.4 ฿1,926

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

1.22%

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

$12.73 ฿427

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-50.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 ฿575

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-55.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 ฿2,309

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

89.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.46 ฿620

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

18.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ฿265

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

0.90%

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

$603 ฿20.2K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

514.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,337 ฿313.4K

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

145.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.64 ฿1,666

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.29 ฿1,319

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

90.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ฿2,603

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

10.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.0 ฿1,981

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

43.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 ฿14.2K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-5.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 ฿7,712

$136 IQD 178.0K

68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 ฿27.8K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-8.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿22.4K

$650 IQD 851.8K

2.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,016 ฿67.7K

$783 IQD 1.0M

157.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 ฿25.3K

$752 IQD 985.3K

0.05%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Rayong and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 0% 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 $237 vs $212, 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 16% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $739 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% 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: $422 in Rayong versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $603 in Rayong versus $98.0 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 $739 in Basra versus $859 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 16% less than in Rayong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.