Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Al Hillah vs $765 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,239 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,677 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Al Hillah costs about 5% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Al Hillah and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 42% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 IQD 6,238

$4.55 IQD 5,959

4.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 IQD 8,147

$6.94 IQD 9,095

-10.37%

Cappuccino

$3.04 IQD 3,984

$2.47 IQD 3,240

23.08%

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

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.46 IQD 596

-21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.23 IQD 302

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 IQD 3,780

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-35.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 IQD 5,145

$2.26 IQD 2,958

73.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 IQD 1,407

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 970

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-17.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,062

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-19.07%

Eggs

$1.86 IQD 2,434

$1.70 IQD 2,227

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 IQD 5,201

$5.03 IQD 6,585

-21.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 IQD 6,316

$3.57 IQD 4,682

35.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 IQD 19.0K

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-9.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,486

$1.30 IQD 1,707

-13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,466

$1.30 IQD 1,696

-13.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,380

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,031

$0.68 IQD 891

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 934

$0.58 IQD 760

22.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 839

$0.74 IQD 964

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.71 IQD 933

-21.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 720

$0.50 IQD 651

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 IQD 2,306

$2.42 IQD 3,165

-27.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

18.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,793

$1.85 IQD 2,429

15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 IQD 2,968

$1.67 IQD 2,185

35.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.60 IQD 782

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 IQD 86.0K

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

184.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,025

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,021

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-34.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 IQD 4,439

$5.50 IQD 7,198

-38.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 710

$0.67 IQD 877

-19.40%

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

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

-14.90%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

-0.52%

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

$76.8 IQD 100.6K

$101 IQD 132.5K

-24.11%

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

$15.23 IQD 19.9K

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

38.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.47 IQD 49.1K

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

30.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

-36.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 IQD 25.2K

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

-6.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-0.76%

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

$95.1 IQD 124.5K

$175 IQD 229.1K

-45.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$776 IQD 1.0M

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

-73.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

12.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.96 IQD 32.7K

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 IQD 88.8K

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

59.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.44 IQD 60.8K

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

22.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 IQD 371.0K

$234 IQD 306.0K

21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.3K

$175 IQD 229.7K

1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 IQD 645.0K

$513 IQD 672.3K

-4.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 IQD 379.3K

$362 IQD 473.7K

-19.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,725 IQD 2.3M

$800 IQD 1.0M

115.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$574 IQD 751.4K

-2.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 IQD 666.8K

$572 IQD 749.1K

-10.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.77

-28.60%

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

Last update for Al Hillah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Al Hillah versus $234 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 12% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Al Hillah versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Al Hillah vs $188 in Sulaymaniyah – so Al Hillah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hillah vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al Hillah is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,203 per month in Al Hillah and $1,147 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 185% less in Sulaymaniyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.1 per month in Al Hillah and $175 in Sulaymaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $802 in Al Hillah and $765 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – 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 Sulaymaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Hillah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.