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 $803 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $761 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,161 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,520 per month in An Nasiriyah vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

An Nasiriyah costs about 5% 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 IQD 4,152

$5.42 IQD 7,098

-41.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.48 IQD 16.3K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-53.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,197

$6.84 IQD 8,953

2.63%

Cappuccino

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.65 IQD 3,468

1.89%

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

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.39 IQD 515

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 246

$0.20 IQD 256

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,595

$2.05 IQD 2,681

71.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 IQD 3,739

$2.69 IQD 3,529

5.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 IQD 1,142

$1.46 IQD 1,913

-40.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$0.99 IQD 1,295

-15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 IQD 1,797

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-14.91%

Eggs

$1.66 IQD 2,171

$1.71 IQD 2,244

-2.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.23 IQD 4,230

$6.05 IQD 7,920

-46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 IQD 5,032

$3.53 IQD 4,617

8.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

-40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,606

$1.17 IQD 1,527

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,523

$1.23 IQD 1,615

-5.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,062

$1.28 IQD 1,671

-36.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 534

$0.75 IQD 985

-45.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 IQD 528

$0.67 IQD 871

-40.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.65 IQD 845

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 IQD 672

$0.55 IQD 715

-7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 576

$0.45 IQD 586

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 IQD 2,102

$1.94 IQD 2,543

-17.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,321

$1.51 IQD 1,976

17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,852

$1.73 IQD 2,269

26.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 IQD 301

$0.55 IQD 724

-58.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.24 IQD 40.9K

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

38.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,095

$2.27 IQD 2,966

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,010

$2.28 IQD 2,986

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 IQD 3,859

$5.21 IQD 6,828

-43.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$0.75 IQD 985

-28.00%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-3.57%

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

$15.1K IQD 19.8M

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

-28.56%

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

$175 IQD 229.5K

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

126.27%

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

$26.02 IQD 34.1K

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

54.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.42 IQD 52.9K

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

51.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.44 IQD 25.5K

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

-49.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.48 IQD 9,799

4.41%

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

$166 IQD 217.1K

$150 IQD 196.2K

10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,538 IQD 4.6M

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.53 IQD 15.1K

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

-50.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

-38.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.93 IQD 49.7K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 322.6K

$235 IQD 308.2K

4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.7K

$180 IQD 236.2K

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 IQD 768.3K

$568 IQD 744.4K

3.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.5K

$340 IQD 445.3K

-0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 IQD 1.0M

$570 IQD 746.9K

36.03%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in An Nasiriyah 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 36% 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 $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: $803 in An Nasiriyah, $761 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 5% apart. An Nasiriyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,204 per month in An Nasiriyah 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 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 $166 per month in An Nasiriyah and $150 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 $803 in An Nasiriyah and $761 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.