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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $810 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $744 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,145 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,479 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Nasiriyah costs about 9% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Nasiriyah and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – An Nasiriyah 40% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 IQD 4,280

$5.32 IQD 6,971

-38.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.09 IQD 15.8K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

-55.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 IQD 8,785

$6.90 IQD 9,040

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,446

$2.56 IQD 3,349

2.73%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.37 IQD 482

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 238

$0.21 IQD 277

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 IQD 4,627

$2.05 IQD 2,683

72.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,684

$2.64 IQD 3,454

6.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 IQD 1,134

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,046

$0.98 IQD 1,277

-18.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 IQD 1,894

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-12.65%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,251

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.35 IQD 4,382

$5.80 IQD 7,598

-42.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 IQD 4,943

$3.44 IQD 4,501

9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 IQD 11.3K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-39.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,593

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,515

$1.25 IQD 1,634

-7.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,072

$1.26 IQD 1,645

-34.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 534

$0.70 IQD 921

-41.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 496

$0.63 IQD 821

-39.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.64 IQD 844

-14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 IQD 672

$0.54 IQD 711

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 IQD 567

$0.45 IQD 591

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 IQD 2,003

$1.89 IQD 2,470

-19.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 IQD 17.5K

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,347

$1.58 IQD 2,072

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,813

$1.74 IQD 2,272

23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.55 IQD 724

-61.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.65 IQD 41.4K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

38.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,072

$2.25 IQD 2,949

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-33.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 IQD 4,062

$5.37 IQD 7,033

-42.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 695

$0.75 IQD 985

-29.33%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-1.51%

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

$15.1K IQD 19.8M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-26.64%

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

$182 IQD 237.9K

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

139.25%

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

$25.93 IQD 34.0K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

58.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

52.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.95 IQD 24.8K

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

-52.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-1.27%

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

$168 IQD 219.4K

$154 IQD 201.3K

8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 IQD 4.6M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

-51.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 IQD 40.0K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

-37.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.81 IQD 49.5K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.0K

$237 IQD 310.3K

0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 766.2K

$569 IQD 744.6K

2.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 IQD 454.3K

$344 IQD 450.5K

0.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$756 IQD 990.0K

$562 IQD 735.6K

34.60%

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 Nasiriyah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in An Nasiriyah 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 35% higher in An Nasiriyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in An Nasiriyah versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $183 – making An Nasiriyah 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 Nasiriyah vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $810 in An Nasiriyah, $744 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 9% apart. An Nasiriyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,215 per month in An Nasiriyah 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 Sulaymaniyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Sulaymaniyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $168 per month in An Nasiriyah and $154 in Sulaymaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $810 in An Nasiriyah and $744 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – 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 Sulaymaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, An Nasiriyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.