Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in An Najaf vs $744 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $997 per month in An Najaf vs $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,317 per month in An Najaf vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Najaf is about 9% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both An Najaf and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 50% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 IQD 5,251

$5.32 IQD 6,971

-24.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 IQD 30.4K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

-14.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 IQD 6,311

$6.90 IQD 9,040

-30.14%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,500

$2.56 IQD 3,349

4.30%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.37 IQD 482

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.21 IQD 277

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,462

$2.05 IQD 2,683

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,840

$2.64 IQD 3,454

10.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,804

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,021

$0.98 IQD 1,277

-20.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-5.42%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,258

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.38 IQD 3,121

$5.80 IQD 7,598

-58.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,281

$3.44 IQD 4,501

39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 IQD 13.8K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-26.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,658

$1.23 IQD 1,607

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,513

$1.25 IQD 1,634

-7.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.26 IQD 1,645

-15.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 963

$0.70 IQD 921

5.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$0.63 IQD 821

9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$0.64 IQD 844

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.54 IQD 711

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.45 IQD 591

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,951

$1.89 IQD 2,470

-21.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,404

$1.58 IQD 2,072

16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,719

$1.74 IQD 2,272

19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.55 IQD 724

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

51.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 IQD 2,515

$2.25 IQD 2,949

-14.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-33.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 IQD 6,398

$5.37 IQD 7,033

-8.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 IQD 632

$0.75 IQD 985

-36.00%

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

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-44.01%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-4.82%

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

$59.8 IQD 78.3K

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

-21.31%

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

$22.94 IQD 30.0K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

40.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 IQD 45.2K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

32.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

-26.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 IQD 19.7K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

-11.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-2.29%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$154 IQD 201.3K

7.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

-74.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.27 IQD 21.3K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

-32.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.8K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

50.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.71 IQD 55.9K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

19.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.7K

$237 IQD 310.3K

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.4K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-26.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 IQD 501.1K

$569 IQD 744.6K

-32.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 IQD 198.2K

$344 IQD 450.5K

-56.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,276 IQD 1.7M

$805 IQD 1.1M

58.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$480 IQD 628.7K

$587 IQD 768.2K

-18.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 984.2K

$562 IQD 735.6K

33.81%

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 An Najaf: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in An Najaf versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $183 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

An Najaf vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah costs about 10% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,016 per month in An Najaf and $1,116 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in An Najaf and $744 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in An Najaf and $744 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sulaymaniyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.