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 $734 per month in Al Kut vs $744 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,139 per month in Al Kut vs $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,544 per month in Al Kut vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Al Kut is about 1% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 IQD 5,220

$5.32 IQD 6,971

-25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.40 IQD 32.0K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

-9.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 IQD 9,169

$6.90 IQD 9,040

1.45%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,448

$2.56 IQD 3,349

2.73%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.37 IQD 482

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 259

$0.21 IQD 277

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,838

$2.05 IQD 2,683

42.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,831

$2.64 IQD 3,454

10.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,800

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,025

$0.98 IQD 1,277

-20.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 IQD 2,038

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-6.02%

Eggs

$1.58 IQD 2,071

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 IQD 5,733

$5.80 IQD 7,598

-24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,561

$3.44 IQD 4,501

1.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,133

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-30.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,309

$1.25 IQD 1,634

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$1.26 IQD 1,645

-30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 898

$0.70 IQD 921

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.63 IQD 821

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.64 IQD 844

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 818

$0.54 IQD 711

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 693

$0.45 IQD 591

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$1.89 IQD 2,470

-1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,403

$1.58 IQD 2,072

15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,726

$1.74 IQD 2,272

19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.55 IQD 724

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 IQD 41.0K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

36.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,093

$2.25 IQD 2,949

4.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,000

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-31.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 IQD 7,963

$5.37 IQD 7,033

13.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.75 IQD 985

-28.00%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-5.93%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-3.75%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.2K

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

-0.24%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

8.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

34.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

-8.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

-2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 IQD 9,859

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-4.08%

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

$150 IQD 196.5K

$154 IQD 201.3K

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,222 IQD 4.2M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

-8.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.59 IQD 34.8K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

10.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

2.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

43.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.02 IQD 53.7K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.5K

$237 IQD 310.3K

3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.8K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-0.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 753.7K

$569 IQD 744.6K

1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.2K

$344 IQD 450.5K

-0.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$996 IQD 1.3M

$805 IQD 1.1M

23.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 IQD 650.9K

$587 IQD 768.2K

-15.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Al Kut 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Al Kut versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $183 – 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: $734 in Al Kut, $744 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 1% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in Al Kut 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 Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $24.00 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 $734 in Al Kut and $744 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.