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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $896 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $747 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,348 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Al-miqdadiyah is roughly 20% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-miqdadiyah 33% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,882

$5.32 IQD 6,969

41.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 IQD 30.3K

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

-13.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 IQD 11.8K

$7.08 IQD 9,272

27.40%

Cappuccino

$3.25 IQD 4,259

$2.65 IQD 3,471

22.64%

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

$0.49 IQD 636

$0.37 IQD 481

32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.18 IQD 236

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,551

$2.07 IQD 2,710

-5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,701

$2.73 IQD 3,570

-24.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-7.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 IQD 1,135

$1.03 IQD 1,345

-15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.60 IQD 2,094

12.50%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,466

$1.78 IQD 2,325

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 IQD 9,794

$5.76 IQD 7,540

29.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,032

$3.46 IQD 4,533

33.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 IQD 18.4K

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

-0.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,553

$1.17 IQD 1,532

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,556

$1.29 IQD 1,691

-7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,554

$1.33 IQD 1,737

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,052

$0.71 IQD 923

12.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$0.62 IQD 808

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 909

$0.67 IQD 878

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 IQD 939

$0.58 IQD 764

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 690

$0.46 IQD 601

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 IQD 3,568

$1.89 IQD 2,481

43.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 IQD 16.1K

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

9.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,867

$1.50 IQD 1,971

-4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 IQD 2,655

$1.75 IQD 2,287

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.55 IQD 721

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.57 IQD 41.3K

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

36.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,952

$2.36 IQD 3,087

-4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,959

$2.33 IQD 3,050

-3.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,081

$5.41 IQD 7,082

28.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 IQD 891

$0.72 IQD 943

-5.56%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

-7.15%

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

-2.33%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

34.72%

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

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

6.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 IQD 38.4K

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 IQD 48.8K

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

-3.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

0.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

46.92%

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

$264 IQD 345.2K

$155 IQD 202.4K

70.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,234 IQD 4.2M

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

-6.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

37.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

96.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

85.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

112.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.8K

$237 IQD 309.9K

1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$175 IQD 229.7K

2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 IQD 773.7K

$581 IQD 760.3K

1.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 451.1K

$346 IQD 453.6K

-0.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

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-miqdadiyah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-miqdadiyah and $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Al-miqdadiyah vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $182, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Al-miqdadiyah and Sulaymaniyah differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($896 vs $747 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,344 in Al-miqdadiyah and $1,121 in Sulaymaniyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Al-miqdadiyah versus $155 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Al-miqdadiyah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sulaymaniyah 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-miqdadiyah 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 Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Al-miqdadiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.