Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Al-mawsil versus $761 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,071 in Al-mawsil versus $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,422 in Al-mawsil versus $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 5% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 46% lower, Sulaymaniyah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.88 IQD 10.3K

$5.42 IQD 7,098

45.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.14 IQD 15.9K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-54.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 IQD 7,296

$6.84 IQD 8,953

-18.57%

Cappuccino

$0.80 IQD 1,051

$2.65 IQD 3,468

-69.81%

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

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.39 IQD 515

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 214

$0.20 IQD 256

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 IQD 1,301

$2.05 IQD 2,681

-51.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 IQD 2,030

$2.69 IQD 3,529

-42.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 IQD 1,172

$1.46 IQD 1,913

-38.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.99 IQD 1,295

-23.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,383

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-34.16%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.71 IQD 2,244

14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 IQD 9,791

$6.05 IQD 7,920

23.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 IQD 4,232

$3.53 IQD 4,617

-8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,070

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

-52.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$1.17 IQD 1,527

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,139

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,015

$1.28 IQD 1,671

-39.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.75 IQD 985

-48.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 505

$0.67 IQD 871

-41.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.65 IQD 845

-35.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 677

$0.55 IQD 715

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 650

$0.45 IQD 586

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 2,622

$1.94 IQD 2,543

3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 IQD 16.3K

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,867

$1.51 IQD 1,976

-5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$1.73 IQD 2,269

13.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.55 IQD 724

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

37.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 IQD 2,866

$2.27 IQD 2,966

-3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 IQD 2,604

$2.28 IQD 2,986

-12.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 IQD 4,303

$5.21 IQD 6,828

-36.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 IQD 425

$0.75 IQD 985

-57.33%

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

$15.5K IQD 20.2M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-25.39%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

-15.66%

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

$102 IQD 134.0K

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

32.09%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

6.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 IQD 35.2K

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.79 IQD 31.2K

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

-38.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 IQD 24.5K

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

12.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 IQD 14.6K

$7.48 IQD 9,799

49.06%

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

$196 IQD 257.2K

$150 IQD 196.2K

31.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$696 IQD 911.7K

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

-80.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.02 IQD 18.4K

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

-40.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.43 IQD 22.8K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

-30.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 IQD 108.8K

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

90.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.33 IQD 25.3K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

-46.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.5K

$235 IQD 308.2K

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$180 IQD 236.2K

-0.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.6K

$568 IQD 744.4K

3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.1K

$340 IQD 445.3K

-0.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 IQD 786.5K

$570 IQD 746.9K

5.30%

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-mawsil: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Al-mawsil and $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $184 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

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-mawsil vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Al-mawsil, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $243 in Al-mawsil versus $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Al-mawsil versus $150 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Sulaymaniyah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al-mawsil gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al-mawsil and Sulaymaniyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.