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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Al-musayyib versus $744 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Al-musayyib versus $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,834 in Al-musayyib versus $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Al-musayyib is roughly 18% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 35% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,889

$5.32 IQD 6,971

-1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

35.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 IQD 9,828

$6.90 IQD 9,040

8.84%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,077

$2.56 IQD 3,349

21.48%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.37 IQD 482

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 263

$0.21 IQD 277

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,518

$2.05 IQD 2,683

68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,856

$2.64 IQD 3,454

11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-19.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,093

$0.98 IQD 1,277

-15.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,061

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-5.42%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-10.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,023

$5.80 IQD 7,598

-20.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,071

$3.44 IQD 4,501

12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-18.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,461

$1.25 IQD 1,634

-10.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.26 IQD 1,645

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.70 IQD 921

-17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$0.63 IQD 821

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.64 IQD 844

-7.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 784

$0.54 IQD 711

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.45 IQD 591

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$1.89 IQD 2,470

12.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,326

$1.58 IQD 2,072

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,747

$1.74 IQD 2,272

20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.55 IQD 724

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 IQD 5,103

$2.25 IQD 2,949

73.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,933

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-33.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 IQD 9,907

$5.37 IQD 7,033

40.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 699

$0.75 IQD 985

-29.33%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-4.64%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-3.03%

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

$179 IQD 234.1K

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

135.38%

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

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

61.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

-6.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

-2.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 IQD 9,840

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-4.33%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$154 IQD 201.3K

8.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

17.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

23.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

48.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.6K

$237 IQD 310.3K

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 229.9K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-2.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 752.9K

$569 IQD 744.6K

1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.8K

$344 IQD 450.5K

-0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

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-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-musayyib vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $183, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-musayyib and Sulaymaniyah differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($878 vs $744 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,317 in Al-musayyib and $1,116 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: $244 in Al-musayyib versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib versus $154 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-musayyib pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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-musayyib 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 18% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.