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 $801 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $750 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,513 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Nasiriyah costs about 7% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 IQD 4,363

$5.26 IQD 6,893

-36.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.20 IQD 16.0K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

-54.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 IQD 8,761

$7.01 IQD 9,180

-4.56%

Cappuccino

$2.71 IQD 3,544

$2.64 IQD 3,461

2.65%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.39 IQD 514

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.21 IQD 269

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 IQD 4,482

$2.07 IQD 2,713

65.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,837

$2.71 IQD 3,549

8.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 IQD 1,114

$1.41 IQD 1,851

-39.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$1.02 IQD 1,332

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 IQD 1,869

$1.61 IQD 2,108

-11.18%

Eggs

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.78 IQD 2,328

-7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.17 IQD 4,157

$6.10 IQD 7,996

-48.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 IQD 5,125

$3.56 IQD 4,666

9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 IQD 11.2K

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-38.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,596

$1.17 IQD 1,531

4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,508

$1.29 IQD 1,693

-10.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,062

$1.27 IQD 1,662

-36.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 IQD 573

$0.73 IQD 957

-39.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 492

$0.61 IQD 798

-37.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.67 IQD 879

-17.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 727

$0.59 IQD 777

-6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 534

$0.45 IQD 590

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 IQD 2,023

$1.94 IQD 2,535

-20.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 IQD 17.4K

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

14.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,336

$1.51 IQD 1,974

17.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IQD 2,772

$1.81 IQD 2,367

17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 IQD 275

$0.55 IQD 715

-61.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.75 IQD 40.3K

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

32.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,065

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,027

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 IQD 3,841

$5.46 IQD 7,149

-46.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 753

$0.77 IQD 1,005

-25.97%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-2.35%

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

$14.9K IQD 19.6M

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

-27.37%

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

$179 IQD 234.7K

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

133.89%

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

$26.25 IQD 34.4K

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

55.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.73 IQD 53.4K

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

55.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.38 IQD 25.4K

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

-51.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 IQD 22.5K

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

1.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$7.47 IQD 9,786

2.68%

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

$169 IQD 220.8K

$151 IQD 198.3K

11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,528 IQD 4.6M

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

-50.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

25.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

-38.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.8K

$240 IQD 315.0K

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 237.9K

$175 IQD 229.3K

3.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 755.0K

$572 IQD 749.5K

0.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 IQD 451.4K

$341 IQD 446.3K

1.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 IQD 987.6K

$580 IQD 759.5K

30.03%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in An Nasiriyah 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 30% 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: $151 vs $184 – 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: $801 in An Nasiriyah, $750 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 7% apart. An Nasiriyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,201 per month in An Nasiriyah 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 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 33% less in Sulaymaniyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $169 per month in An Nasiriyah and $151 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 $801 in An Nasiriyah and $750 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.