Cost of Living Comparison Between Tikrit and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Tikrit and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Tikrit versus $728 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,152 in Tikrit versus $1,366 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,553 in Tikrit versus $2,003 in Basra.

Living in Tikrit is roughly 3% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tikrit 44% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 IQD 5,219

$3.80 IQD 4,974

5.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.41 IQD 32.0K

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 IQD 8,924

$7.09 IQD 9,289

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$2.57 IQD 3,362

$2.04 IQD 2,675

25.98%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.47 IQD 609

-23.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 229

$0.35 IQD 454

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 IQD 3,890

$3.85 IQD 5,038

-22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 IQD 3,868

$2.58 IQD 3,382

14.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,709

$1.18 IQD 1,551

11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.70 IQD 917

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,098

$1.42 IQD 1,857

12.68%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,240

$1.85 IQD 2,428

-7.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 IQD 5,763

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

-46.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,040

$6.97 IQD 9,131

-33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 IQD 17.6K

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,510

$1.06 IQD 1,382

8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,371

$1.04 IQD 1,363

0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.59 IQD 769

25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.67 IQD 872

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 868

$0.56 IQD 737

17.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.80 IQD 1,044

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.42 IQD 548

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,565

$1.89 IQD 2,479

3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,349

$3.15 IQD 4,125

-43.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,836

$3.94 IQD 5,155

-44.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.39 IQD 511

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

34.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

$2.31 IQD 3,025

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,942

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-35.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 IQD 7,738

$6.80 IQD 8,900

-13.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 739

$0.58 IQD 766

-3.45%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

40.09%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

-12.43%

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

$76.4 IQD 100.1K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

35.14%

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

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

-30.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 IQD 44.4K

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

-10.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 IQD 48.2K

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

1.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

6.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

1.30%

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

$151 IQD 197.9K

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

58.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,306 IQD 4.3M

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

-11.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

-33.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.02 IQD 32.8K

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.18 IQD 53.9K

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

-0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 312.2K

$453 IQD 593.2K

-47.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.0K

$132 IQD 172.4K

38.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 IQD 747.1K

$902 IQD 1.2M

-36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.1K

$655 IQD 857.9K

-48.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 IQD 418.2K

$761 IQD 996.3K

-58.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

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

Last update for Tikrit: July 26, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Tikrit and $453 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 138% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Tikrit vs $24.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $213 per month, with Tikrit 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

Tikrit vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tikrit and Basra differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($751 vs $728 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 138% 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: $238 in Tikrit versus $453 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tikrit pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $24.00 in Tikrit. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Basra versus $751 in Tikrit, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Tikrit. 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.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Tikrit. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.