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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Al Kut vs $750 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Al Kut vs $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,530 per month in Al Kut vs $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Al Kut is about 4% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 46% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 IQD 5,164

$5.26 IQD 6,893

-25.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

-6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 IQD 8,851

$7.01 IQD 9,180

-3.57%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,451

$2.64 IQD 3,461

-0.38%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.39 IQD 514

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 281

$0.21 IQD 269

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,843

$2.07 IQD 2,713

41.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,847

$2.71 IQD 3,549

8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$1.41 IQD 1,851

-5.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,095

$1.02 IQD 1,332

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.61 IQD 2,108

-7.45%

Eggs

$1.59 IQD 2,080

$1.78 IQD 2,328

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 IQD 5,977

$6.10 IQD 7,996

-25.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 IQD 4,689

$3.56 IQD 4,666

0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$1.17 IQD 1,531

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,314

$1.29 IQD 1,693

-22.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 IQD 1,109

$1.27 IQD 1,662

-33.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.73 IQD 957

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 902

$0.61 IQD 798

13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 811

$0.67 IQD 879

-7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 880

$0.59 IQD 777

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 735

$0.45 IQD 590

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,460

$1.94 IQD 2,535

-3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,309

$1.51 IQD 1,974

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,812

$1.81 IQD 2,367

18.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.55 IQD 715

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.33 IQD 41.0K

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

35.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,994

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-34.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 IQD 7,689

$5.46 IQD 7,149

7.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.77 IQD 1,005

-31.17%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-5.56%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

-3.73%

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

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

-0.57%

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

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

5.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

33.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

-6.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 IQD 22.4K

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

0.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,973

$7.47 IQD 9,786

1.87%

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

$152 IQD 199.5K

$151 IQD 198.3K

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,254 IQD 4.3M

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

-6.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

16.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 IQD 81.0K

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

41.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

11.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.7K

$240 IQD 315.0K

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.1K

$175 IQD 229.3K

2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 745.2K

$572 IQD 749.5K

-0.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.5K

$341 IQD 446.3K

1.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$990 IQD 1.3M

$810 IQD 1.1M

22.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.5K

$579 IQD 758.4K

-12.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.5K

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 Kut: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Al Kut 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al Kut versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $184 – making Al Kut 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 Kut vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $719 in Al Kut, $750 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 4% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Al Kut 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 Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 Kut and $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $719 in Al Kut and $750 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kut – 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 Kut. 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.