Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $671 per month in Al-'amarah vs $744 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Al-'amarah is about 10% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-'amarah and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Al-'amarah 50% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 IQD 5,267

$5.32 IQD 6,971

-24.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

-7.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$6.90 IQD 9,040

1.74%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,401

$2.56 IQD 3,349

1.56%

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

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.37 IQD 482

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 255

$0.21 IQD 277

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 IQD 3,736

$2.05 IQD 2,683

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,779

$2.64 IQD 3,454

9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$1.42 IQD 1,862

27.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,030

$0.98 IQD 1,277

-19.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,462

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-32.53%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,027

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,951

$5.80 IQD 7,598

-21.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 IQD 6,074

$3.44 IQD 4,501

34.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,197

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,416

$1.25 IQD 1,634

-13.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$1.26 IQD 1,645

-30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.70 IQD 921

-44.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 989

$0.63 IQD 821

20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.64 IQD 844

-45.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.54 IQD 711

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 617

$0.45 IQD 591

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,573

$1.89 IQD 2,470

4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,341

$1.58 IQD 2,072

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,769

$1.74 IQD 2,272

21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.55 IQD 724

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

38.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 IQD 2,188

$2.25 IQD 2,949

-25.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-33.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 IQD 7,988

$5.37 IQD 7,033

13.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 IQD 404

$0.75 IQD 985

-58.67%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-6.35%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-1.69%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

0.18%

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

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

9.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

30.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

-42.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-1.66%

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

$154 IQD 201.2K

$154 IQD 201.3K

-0.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

-8.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

13.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

-0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

43.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

14.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 IQD 434.1K

$237 IQD 310.3K

39.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.3K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-26.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 IQD 578.0K

$569 IQD 744.6K

-22.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.8K

$344 IQD 450.5K

0.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$805 IQD 1.1M

-27.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 IQD 663.1K

$562 IQD 735.6K

-9.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-37.00%

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

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Al-'amarah versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $183 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Al-'amarah vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,006 per month in Al-'amarah and $1,116 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Sulaymaniyah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah and $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $671 in Al-'amarah and $744 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sulaymaniyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.