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 $645 per month in An Najaf vs $765 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in An Najaf vs $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in An Najaf vs $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Najaf is about 16% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both An Najaf and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 53% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.64 IQD 6,078

$4.55 IQD 5,959

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

-3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 IQD 6,350

$6.94 IQD 9,095

-30.12%

Cappuccino

$2.48 IQD 3,251

$2.47 IQD 3,240

0.40%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.46 IQD 596

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 343

$0.23 IQD 302

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 IQD 5,120

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,586

$2.26 IQD 2,958

-12.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,077

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-8.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,052

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-19.07%

Eggs

$1.65 IQD 2,160

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 IQD 4,853

$5.03 IQD 6,585

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 IQD 6,201

$3.57 IQD 4,682

32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 IQD 14.1K

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-33.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,546

$1.30 IQD 1,707

-9.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$1.30 IQD 1,696

-17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,324

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 963

$0.68 IQD 891

7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$0.58 IQD 760

12.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.74 IQD 964

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.71 IQD 933

-5.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 696

$0.50 IQD 651

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$2.42 IQD 3,165

-30.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 IQD 2,924

$1.85 IQD 2,429

20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 IQD 2,948

$1.67 IQD 2,185

34.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 IQD 428

$0.60 IQD 782

-45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 IQD 2,018

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-33.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,951

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-36.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 IQD 6,958

$5.50 IQD 7,198

-3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 IQD 588

$0.67 IQD 877

-32.84%

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

$11.8K IQD 15.5M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

-42.24%

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

$18.0K IQD 23.6M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

-5.75%

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

$38.16 IQD 50.0K

$101 IQD 132.5K

-62.29%

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

$16.66 IQD 21.8K

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

51.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 IQD 48.8K

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

30.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.91 IQD 37.9K

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

-19.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

Cinema Ticket

$9.36 IQD 12.3K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

19.24%

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

$168 IQD 219.9K

$175 IQD 229.1K

-4.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

-68.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.14 IQD 21.1K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

-17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

7.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 IQD 93.2K

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

67.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.90 IQD 62.7K

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 IQD 337.8K

$234 IQD 306.0K

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 IQD 183.4K

$175 IQD 229.7K

-20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 IQD 438.1K

$513 IQD 672.3K

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 IQD 266.7K

$362 IQD 473.7K

-43.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,263 IQD 1.7M

$800 IQD 1.0M

57.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$488 IQD 638.5K

$574 IQD 751.4K

-15.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$729 IQD 954.1K

$572 IQD 749.1K

27.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.77

-28.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for An Najaf: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in An Najaf versus $234 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 27% 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $188 – 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 18% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $968 per month in An Najaf and $1,147 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 $645 in An Najaf and $765 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $168 per month in An Najaf and $175 in Sulaymaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $645 in An Najaf and $765 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.