Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakho and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakho and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Zakho versus $957 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,278 in Zakho versus $1,450 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,676 in Zakho versus $1,944 in Basra.

Living in Zakho costs roughly 8% less than in Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zakho 36% lower, Basra 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$4.51 IQD 5,906

71.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.26 IQD 58.0K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

43.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 IQD 10.7K

$7.42 IQD 9,712

10.11%

Cappuccino

$3.81 IQD 4,993

$2.55 IQD 3,345

49.41%

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

$1.07 IQD 1,403

$0.44 IQD 571

143.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 538

$0.34 IQD 445

20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 IQD 8,037

$3.90 IQD 5,113

57.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 IQD 5,983

$4.12 IQD 5,398

10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,657

$1.12 IQD 1,462

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,069

$0.70 IQD 917

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 IQD 2,308

$1.47 IQD 1,919

19.73%

Eggs

$1.77 IQD 2,317

$1.82 IQD 2,380

-2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 IQD 10.7K

$7.53 IQD 9,861

8.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 IQD 7,228

$6.36 IQD 8,333

-13.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 IQD 19.6K

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

6.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,439

$0.97 IQD 1,273

13.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,457

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,614

$0.97 IQD 1,274

26.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,042

$0.65 IQD 856

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 973

$0.77 IQD 1,013

-3.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 958

$0.65 IQD 856

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,046

$0.87 IQD 1,133

-8.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.39 IQD 509

51.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 IQD 3,211

$2.08 IQD 2,726

17.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 IQD 16.6K

$6.74 IQD 8,823

87.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 IQD 2,231

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-45.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,697

$3.92 IQD 5,135

-47.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 784

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,570

$2.36 IQD 3,089

-16.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 IQD 2,341

$2.27 IQD 2,967

-21.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 IQD 8,654

$7.06 IQD 9,240

-6.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.60 IQD 783

13.33%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

31.15%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-14.76%

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

$127 IQD 166.0K

$51.4 IQD 67.3K

146.53%

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

$13.60 IQD 17.8K

$25.89 IQD 33.9K

-47.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 IQD 36.8K

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

-29.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.24 IQD 47.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

$7.60 IQD 9,955

50.53%

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

$317 IQD 414.5K

$127 IQD 166.6K

148.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,093 IQD 4.1M

$3,881 IQD 5.1M

-20.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

$49.97 IQD 65.4K

-39.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

$20.04 IQD 26.2K

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 IQD 66.2K

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

-34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

-4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 IQD 151.2K

$477 IQD 624.8K

-75.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 IQD 291.7K

$346 IQD 453.0K

-35.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 IQD 412.6K

$853 IQD 1.1M

-63.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 IQD 361.1K

$626 IQD 819.5K

-55.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,578 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 IQD 860.6K

$777 IQD 1.0M

-15.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.67

-55.38%

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

Last update for Zakho: September 12, 2026

Last update for Basra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Zakho and $477 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 18% 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: $44.00 in Zakho vs $31.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $197 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

Zakho vs Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakho and Basra differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($879 vs $957 including rent). Zakho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $115 in Zakho versus $477 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $317 in Zakho versus $127 in Basra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zakho – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $31.00 in Basra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $879 in Zakho versus $957 in Basra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Basra. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho 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, Zakho 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 Zakho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Basra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.