The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different distillation methods (water and steam) on essential oil yield and composition of sweet basil as affected by drying methods (sun-drying, shadow-drying, room temperature-drying, solar-drying and oven-drying). The obtained results indicated that the basil essential oil content values were 2.3 and 2.4, 2.5 and 3.4, 2.9 and 4.0, 2.7 and 2.7 and 2.0 and 2.3 % for water and steam distillation, respectively for the sun-drying, shadow-drying, room temperature-drying, solar-drying and oven-drying, respectively, compared to 2.60 % for fresh basil. Distillation time was ranged 165 to 180 min for all treatments. The α-pinene and β-pinene by using steam distillation higher than those α-pinene and β-pinene by using water distillation. The highest values of the linalool for water and steam distillation were 45.556 and 46.616 % was obtained when the basil dried at room temperature system. The camphor and methyl chavicol values ranged from 3.037 to 10.910 and 4.550 to 11.539 %, respectively, for all treatment. The geraniol values were 8.676 and 7.743, 4.058 and 3.372, 3.962 and 3.210, 7.884 and 5.361 and 5.138 and 3.728 % for water and steam distillation, respectively for the sun-drying, shadow-drying, room temperature-drying, solar-drying and oven-drying, respectively. The eugenol and β-caryophelliene values ranged from 17.408 to 25.739 and 0.487 to 2.525 %, respectively, for all treatment. The total costs of basil essential oil production ranged from 0.87 to 1.75 LE g^-1 of essential oil