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 $680 per month in An Najaf vs $761 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $999 per month in An Najaf vs $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,319 per month in An Najaf vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Najaf is about 11% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both An Najaf and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 49% lower, Sulaymaniyah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,232

$5.42 IQD 7,098

-26.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 IQD 29.8K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-14.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 IQD 6,173

$6.84 IQD 8,953

-31.14%

Cappuccino

$2.76 IQD 3,617

$2.65 IQD 3,468

4.15%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.39 IQD 515

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 268

$0.20 IQD 256

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 IQD 4,521

$2.05 IQD 2,681

68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 IQD 3,828

$2.69 IQD 3,529

8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,732

$1.46 IQD 1,913

-9.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,077

$0.99 IQD 1,295

-17.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,153

$1.61 IQD 2,105

1.86%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,276

$1.71 IQD 2,244

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.37 IQD 3,110

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-60.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 IQD 6,536

$3.53 IQD 4,617

41.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.52 IQD 13.8K

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,605

$1.17 IQD 1,527

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,573

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,388

$1.28 IQD 1,671

-17.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 962

$0.75 IQD 985

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 855

$0.67 IQD 871

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 883

$0.65 IQD 845

3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 IQD 846

$0.55 IQD 715

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.45 IQD 586

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 IQD 1,983

$1.94 IQD 2,543

-22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 IQD 17.5K

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,338

$1.51 IQD 1,976

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,733

$1.73 IQD 2,269

20.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.55 IQD 724

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.79 IQD 44.3K

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

49.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 IQD 2,561

$2.27 IQD 2,966

-13.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,999

$2.28 IQD 2,986

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 IQD 6,706

$5.21 IQD 6,828

-1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 IQD 619

$0.75 IQD 985

-37.33%

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

$11.3K IQD 14.8M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-45.49%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

-4.41%

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

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

-22.40%

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

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

39.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.30 IQD 44.9K

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

28.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 IQD 38.6K

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

-23.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

-10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,726

$7.48 IQD 9,799

-0.67%

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

$169 IQD 221.0K

$150 IQD 196.2K

12.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$929 IQD 1.2M

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

-73.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.63 IQD 21.8K

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

-29.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.08 IQD 32.8K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

48.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.02 IQD 56.3K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.3K

$235 IQD 308.2K

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 IQD 176.3K

$180 IQD 236.2K

-25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 IQD 495.3K

$568 IQD 744.4K

-33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 IQD 204.3K

$340 IQD 445.3K

-54.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,242 IQD 1.6M

$820 IQD 1.1M

51.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$495 IQD 648.3K

$576 IQD 753.9K

-14.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 IQD 961.5K

$570 IQD 746.9K

28.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in An Najaf versus $235 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: $170 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 12% 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 $1,019 per month in An Najaf and $1,142 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 $680 in An Najaf and $761 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $680 in An Najaf and $761 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.