Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $965 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,480 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $1,995 in Basra.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 33% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$4.66 IQD 6,109

145.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

22.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

20.05%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.67 IQD 3,499

26.59%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.47 IQD 610

121.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.34 IQD 448

76.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$3.81 IQD 4,987

-28.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$4.29 IQD 5,619

-29.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.12 IQD 1,467

102.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.65 IQD 851

21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.40 IQD 1,830

15.71%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.87 IQD 2,448

46.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$7.61 IQD 9,963

22.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$6.18 IQD 8,094

9.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$0.97 IQD 1,277

69.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.36 IQD 1,776

34.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.02 IQD 1,339

86.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$0.65 IQD 856

295.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.74 IQD 975

13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.66 IQD 858

-1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.88 IQD 1,156

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.38 IQD 499

110.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$2.13 IQD 2,789

59.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$6.99 IQD 9,160

9.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$2.98 IQD 3,903

-43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$3.71 IQD 4,853

-35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.55 IQD 720

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

-18.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-49.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$2.33 IQD 3,056

-68.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$7.16 IQD 9,383

58.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.55 IQD 726

150.91%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

85.41%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$22.9K IQD 30.0M

-4.07%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$51.2 IQD 67.1K

73.27%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

-48.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$38.53 IQD 50.5K

-48.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$36.13 IQD 47.3K

88.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

30.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$7.51 IQD 9,837

-14.51%

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

$372 ₾967

$124 IQD 162.5K

199.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$3,768 IQD 4.9M

186.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$50.0 IQD 65.5K

108.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$20.42 IQD 26.7K

90.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$78.5 IQD 102.8K

46.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

192.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$463 IQD 605.8K

47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$348 IQD 455.2K

31.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$843 IQD 1.1M

55.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$632 IQD 827.8K

41.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,566 IQD 2.1M

52.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$778 IQD 1.0M

83.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$769 IQD 1.0M

-16.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

5.67

122.57%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $463 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $31.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $194 per month, with Basra 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

Tbilisi vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Basra differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $965 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $463 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $965 in Basra versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. 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, Tbilisi 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 33% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.