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 $681 per month in Al-'amarah vs $750 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,090 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,499 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Al-'amarah is about 9% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-'amarah and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Al-'amarah 49% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 IQD 5,175

$5.26 IQD 6,895

-24.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.93 IQD 32.7K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

-7.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 IQD 9,106

$7.01 IQD 9,182

-0.86%

Cappuccino

$2.57 IQD 3,369

$2.64 IQD 3,461

-2.65%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.39 IQD 514

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 250

$0.21 IQD 269

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 IQD 3,756

$2.07 IQD 2,714

38.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,678

$2.71 IQD 3,550

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 IQD 2,442

$1.41 IQD 1,851

31.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 979

$1.02 IQD 1,332

-26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,427

$1.61 IQD 2,109

-32.30%

Eggs

$1.50 IQD 1,963

$1.78 IQD 2,329

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 IQD 5,774

$6.10 IQD 7,998

-27.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 IQD 6,150

$3.56 IQD 4,667

31.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-6.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,122

$1.17 IQD 1,532

-26.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,415

$1.29 IQD 1,694

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 IQD 1,168

$1.27 IQD 1,662

-29.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.73 IQD 957

-46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$0.61 IQD 798

21.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 IQD 450

$0.67 IQD 879

-49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$0.59 IQD 777

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 618

$0.45 IQD 590

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 IQD 2,430

$1.94 IQD 2,536

-4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 IQD 2,385

$1.51 IQD 1,975

20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,752

$1.81 IQD 2,367

16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.55 IQD 715

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

33.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 IQD 2,214

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-28.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 IQD 8,067

$5.46 IQD 7,150

12.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 434

$0.77 IQD 1,006

-57.14%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-5.17%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

-2.67%

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

$78.3 IQD 102.6K

$76.6 IQD 100.4K

2.21%

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

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

32.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.48 IQD 29.4K

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

-43.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.71 IQD 21.9K

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

-1.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$7.47 IQD 9,788

2.81%

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

$150 IQD 196.3K

$151 IQD 198.4K

-1.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,269 IQD 4.3M

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

-6.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.78 IQD 35.1K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

14.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

1.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

40.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 IQD 419.8K

$240 IQD 315.0K

33.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 IQD 170.2K

$175 IQD 229.4K

-25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 IQD 584.3K

$572 IQD 749.7K

-22.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 IQD 449.7K

$341 IQD 446.4K

0.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 752.3K

$810 IQD 1.1M

-29.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 IQD 661.2K

$580 IQD 759.7K

-12.96%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Al-'amarah versus $240 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 15% 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 $184 – 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 10%, 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 $1,022 per month in Al-'amarah and $1,126 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 20% 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 $681 in Al-'amarah and $750 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.