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 $675 per month in An Najaf vs $750 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,012 per month in An Najaf vs $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in An Najaf vs $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Najaf is about 10% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,235

$5.26 IQD 6,893

-23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

-15.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 IQD 6,102

$7.01 IQD 9,180

-33.52%

Cappuccino

$2.74 IQD 3,594

$2.64 IQD 3,461

3.79%

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

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.39 IQD 514

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.21 IQD 269

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 IQD 4,638

$2.07 IQD 2,713

71.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,694

$2.71 IQD 3,549

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,805

$1.41 IQD 1,851

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$1.02 IQD 1,332

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,173

$1.61 IQD 2,108

3.11%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,339

$1.78 IQD 2,328

0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.30 IQD 3,007

$6.10 IQD 7,996

-62.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 IQD 6,663

$3.56 IQD 4,666

42.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-23.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.17 IQD 1,531

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,514

$1.29 IQD 1,693

-10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.27 IQD 1,662

-16.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$0.73 IQD 957

1.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$0.61 IQD 798

6.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 883

$0.67 IQD 879

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 790

$0.59 IQD 777

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.45 IQD 590

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,946

$1.94 IQD 2,535

-23.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

15.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$1.51 IQD 1,974

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,833

$1.81 IQD 2,367

19.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.55 IQD 715

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.31 IQD 44.9K

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

48.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,531

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-18.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,001

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-34.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 IQD 6,381

$5.46 IQD 7,149

-10.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 IQD 618

$0.77 IQD 1,005

-38.96%

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

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-42.37%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

-2.26%

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

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

-22.14%

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

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

37.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

29.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

-24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

-10.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,965

$7.47 IQD 9,786

1.87%

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

$166 IQD 217.3K

$151 IQD 198.3K

9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$913 IQD 1.2M

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

-73.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

-30.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

-0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

49.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.5K

$240 IQD 315.0K

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 IQD 175.8K

$175 IQD 229.3K

-23.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 IQD 498.2K

$572 IQD 749.5K

-33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 IQD 200.0K

$341 IQD 446.3K

-55.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

$810 IQD 1.1M

56.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 IQD 629.9K

$579 IQD 758.4K

-16.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 IQD 976.6K

$580 IQD 759.5K

28.57%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in An Najaf versus $240 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 29% 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: $172 vs $184 – 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 11% 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 $1,013 per month in An Najaf and $1,126 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 $675 in An Najaf and $750 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% 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 $675 in An Najaf and $750 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.