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: $887 in Al-musayyib versus $761 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,338 in Al-musayyib versus $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,789 in Al-musayyib versus $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Al-musayyib is roughly 16% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 33% lower, Sulaymaniyah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 IQD 7,189

$5.42 IQD 7,098

1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

36.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 IQD 9,792

$6.84 IQD 8,953

9.36%

Cappuccino

$2.99 IQD 3,911

$2.65 IQD 3,468

12.83%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.39 IQD 515

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 244

$0.20 IQD 256

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 IQD 4,488

$2.05 IQD 2,681

67.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,683

$2.69 IQD 3,529

4.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 IQD 1,538

$1.46 IQD 1,913

-19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,104

$0.99 IQD 1,295

-15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,975

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-6.21%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.71 IQD 2,244

-12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,947

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-24.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 IQD 4,897

$3.53 IQD 4,617

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

-21.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,543

$1.17 IQD 1,527

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-8.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,326

$1.28 IQD 1,671

-21.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.75 IQD 985

-22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 773

$0.67 IQD 871

-11.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.65 IQD 845

-9.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 712

$0.55 IQD 715

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.45 IQD 586

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 IQD 2,685

$1.94 IQD 2,543

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 IQD 18.1K

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,301

$1.51 IQD 1,976

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,721

$1.73 IQD 2,269

20.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.55 IQD 724

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.47 IQD 41.2K

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

39.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,122

$2.27 IQD 2,966

72.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,996

$2.28 IQD 2,986

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 IQD 9,960

$5.21 IQD 6,828

46.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 755

$0.75 IQD 985

-22.67%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-3.77%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

-5.53%

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

$180 IQD 235.5K

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

132.12%

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

$25.74 IQD 33.7K

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

53.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

52.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.66 IQD 48.0K

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

-4.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 IQD 21.7K

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

-0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 IQD 9,992

$7.48 IQD 9,799

2.01%

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

$167 IQD 218.1K

$150 IQD 196.2K

11.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,566 IQD 4.7M

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 IQD 37.1K

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

20.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 IQD 39.6K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

21.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

47.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 IQD 56.1K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.4K

$235 IQD 308.2K

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$180 IQD 236.2K

-0.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 IQD 763.9K

$568 IQD 744.4K

2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 IQD 448.0K

$340 IQD 445.3K

0.60%

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)

$570 IQD 746.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-musayyib and $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al-musayyib vs $27.00 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 16% in total monthly costs ($887 vs $761 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,330 in Al-musayyib and $1,142 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-musayyib versus $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Al-musayyib versus $150 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 9% 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 16% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.