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 $724 per month in Al Kut vs $761 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,142 per month in Al Kut vs $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,559 per month in Al Kut vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Al Kut is about 5% 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 IQD 5,320

$5.42 IQD 7,098

-25.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.97 IQD 32.7K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-6.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 IQD 8,763

$6.84 IQD 8,953

-2.19%

Cappuccino

$2.59 IQD 3,394

$2.65 IQD 3,468

-2.26%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.39 IQD 515

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 IQD 3,891

$2.05 IQD 2,681

44.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 IQD 3,865

$2.69 IQD 3,529

9.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,727

$1.46 IQD 1,913

-9.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,101

$0.99 IQD 1,295

-15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 IQD 1,942

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-8.07%

Eggs

$1.54 IQD 2,017

$1.71 IQD 2,244

-9.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,042

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 IQD 4,567

$3.53 IQD 4,617

-1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 IQD 17.4K

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

-8.09%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,098

$1.17 IQD 1,527

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,317

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,069

$1.28 IQD 1,671

-35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 962

$0.75 IQD 985

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$0.67 IQD 871

-1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 867

$0.65 IQD 845

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.55 IQD 715

14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 689

$0.45 IQD 586

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,429

$1.94 IQD 2,543

-4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,344

$1.51 IQD 1,976

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,711

$1.73 IQD 2,269

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.55 IQD 724

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.59 IQD 41.4K

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

39.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 IQD 2,996

$2.27 IQD 2,966

0.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,034

$2.28 IQD 2,986

-32.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 IQD 8,067

$5.21 IQD 6,828

18.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 756

$0.75 IQD 985

-22.67%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-7.59%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

-4.50%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

-1.90%

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

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

6.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 IQD 44.9K

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

28.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 IQD 48.8K

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

-3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 IQD 22.2K

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

1.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$7.48 IQD 9,799

5.21%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$150 IQD 196.2K

3.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,292 IQD 4.3M

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

-7.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

42.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 IQD 323.6K

$235 IQD 308.2K

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.5K

$180 IQD 236.2K

-2.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.5K

$568 IQD 744.4K

1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 442.8K

$340 IQD 445.3K

-0.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$981 IQD 1.3M

$820 IQD 1.1M

19.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 IQD 650.5K

$576 IQD 753.9K

-13.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Al Kut versus $235 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: $147 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: $724 in Al Kut, $761 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 5% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,086 per month in Al Kut and $1,142 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 $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 $724 in Al Kut and $761 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.