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: $703 in Al-musayyib versus $765 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Al-musayyib versus $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Al-musayyib versus $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 8% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 49% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 IQD 6,091

$4.55 IQD 5,959

2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

48.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$6.94 IQD 9,095

10.95%

Cappuccino

$3.18 IQD 4,163

$2.47 IQD 3,240

28.74%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.46 IQD 596

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.23 IQD 302

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 IQD 5,105

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,021

$2.26 IQD 2,958

69.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,014

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-14.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 1,985

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-21.65%

Eggs

$1.56 IQD 2,047

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,068

$5.03 IQD 6,585

-23.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 IQD 5,016

$3.57 IQD 4,682

7.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-29.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$1.30 IQD 1,707

-12.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,396

$1.30 IQD 1,696

-17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,376

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.68 IQD 891

-20.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$0.58 IQD 760

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 768

$0.74 IQD 964

-20.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.71 IQD 933

-22.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.50 IQD 651

-28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 IQD 2,386

$2.42 IQD 3,165

-24.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 IQD 2,935

$1.85 IQD 2,429

21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 IQD 2,997

$1.67 IQD 2,185

37.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 782

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-3.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-36.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$5.50 IQD 7,198

39.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 IQD 823

$0.67 IQD 877

-5.97%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

-7.19%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

0.16%

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

$212 IQD 277.1K

$101 IQD 132.5K

109.08%

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

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

90.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

44.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

36.05%

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

$170 IQD 222.6K

$175 IQD 229.1K

-2.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

21.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

52.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

49.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

70.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 306.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 672.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 IQD 473.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 751.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.77

-28.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Al-musayyib vs $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $188, 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 9% in total monthly costs ($703 vs $765 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,054 in Al-musayyib and $1,147 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.

Childcare runs $170 in Al-musayyib versus $175 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Al-musayyib 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 Al-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.