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: $893 in Al-musayyib versus $754 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Al-musayyib versus $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,774 in Al-musayyib versus $1,561 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Al-musayyib is roughly 19% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 34% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 IQD 6,867

$5.43 IQD 7,116

-3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

38.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$6.84 IQD 8,958

10.38%

Cappuccino

$3.00 IQD 3,928

$2.65 IQD 3,471

13.21%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.39 IQD 512

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 270

$0.21 IQD 280

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,520

$2.14 IQD 2,796

61.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,742

$2.59 IQD 3,395

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.48 IQD 1,940

-23.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$0.98 IQD 1,278

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-4.85%

Eggs

$1.50 IQD 1,967

$1.72 IQD 2,254

-12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,742

$5.88 IQD 7,697

-25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 IQD 5,163

$3.59 IQD 4,702

9.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

-19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,469

$1.23 IQD 1,616

-8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,477

$1.24 IQD 1,626

-8.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$1.32 IQD 1,725

-24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.71 IQD 929

-21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.67 IQD 877

-11.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.68 IQD 894

-20.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 716

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.48 IQD 633

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$1.86 IQD 2,441

11.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

19.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,302

$1.51 IQD 1,976

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,826

$1.83 IQD 2,390

18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.56 IQD 730

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

36.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 IQD 4,918

$2.36 IQD 3,086

59.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,012

$2.30 IQD 3,010

-33.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 IQD 9,779

$5.47 IQD 7,163

36.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 746

$0.73 IQD 951

-21.92%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-3.17%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

-6.55%

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

$179 IQD 234.4K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

133.49%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

53.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

48.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

-6.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$7.48 IQD 9,791

4.14%

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

$166 IQD 217.5K

$151 IQD 197.1K

10.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

0.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

18.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

45.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 319.5K

$234 IQD 305.9K

4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.6K

$178 IQD 232.5K

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.6K

$573 IQD 750.3K

2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.0K

$338 IQD 443.0K

0.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$803 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$582 IQD 762.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.3K

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-musayyib: April 12, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Al-musayyib and $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37 in Al-musayyib vs $27 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $184, 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 19% in total monthly costs ($893 vs $754 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,340 in Al-musayyib and $1,131 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 $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Al-musayyib versus $151 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 10% 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 19% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.