Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah: $668 a month against $1,001 in Baghdad, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Baghdad
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Baghdad Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Sulaymaniyah
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Sulaymaniyah Living Index

Jump to prices

Baghdad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$1,001

/mo nomad

Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baghdad and in Sulaymaniyah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baghdad and in Sulaymaniyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,001 in Baghdad versus $668 in Sulaymaniyah.

Baghdad $1,001
Sulaymaniyah $668

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Baghdad versus $1,038 in Sulaymaniyah.

Baghdad $1,472
Sulaymaniyah $1,038

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,943 in Baghdad versus $1,407 in Sulaymaniyah.

Baghdad $1,943
Sulaymaniyah $1,407

Living in Baghdad is roughly 50% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 26% lower, Sulaymaniyah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.27 IQD 6,445

$4.41 IQD 6,664

-3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.18 IQD 44.1K

$20.08 IQD 30.3K

45.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 IQD 10.2K

$6.02 IQD 9,090

12.46%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 4,003

$2.38 IQD 3,595

11.34%

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

$0.35 IQD 530

$0.42 IQD 639

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

$0.22 IQD 332

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 IQD 4,927

$3.25 IQD 4,910

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 IQD 4,868

$1.96 IQD 2,968

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,466

$1.10 IQD 1,659

-11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 1,097

$0.86 IQD 1,300

-15.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 2,003

$1.65 IQD 2,494

-19.39%

Eggs

$1.68 IQD 2,534

$1.48 IQD 2,232

13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.25 IQD 4,912

$4.46 IQD 6,743

-27.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 IQD 6,192

$3.53 IQD 5,334

16.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 IQD 18.8K

$12.97 IQD 19.6K

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,523

$1.14 IQD 1,730

-11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,487

$1.07 IQD 1,619

-8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,444

$1.01 IQD 1,524

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 1,045

$0.58 IQD 878

18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 842

$0.49 IQD 739

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 855

$0.59 IQD 892

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 IQD 806

$0.63 IQD 950

-15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 943

$0.45 IQD 682

37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 IQD 2,534

$2.00 IQD 3,021

-16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 17.5K

$9.99 IQD 15.1K

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 IQD 2,863

$1.67 IQD 2,527

13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 IQD 2,876

$1.26 IQD 1,899

50.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 IQD 858

$0.51 IQD 769

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.12 IQD 30.4K

$19.73 IQD 29.8K

1.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 IQD 3,038

$1.95 IQD 2,952

3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 IQD 2,029

$1.94 IQD 2,925

-30.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 IQD 9,887

$4.60 IQD 6,957

42.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 810

$0.57 IQD 857

-5.26%

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

$16.3K IQD 24.6M

$17.6K IQD 26.6M

-7.40%

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

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

-0.13%

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

$189 IQD 285.6K

$87.2 IQD 131.7K

116.84%

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

$17.44 IQD 26.4K

$10.17 IQD 15.4K

71.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.40 IQD 55.0K

$23.75 IQD 35.9K

53.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.49 IQD 62.7K

$34.59 IQD 52.3K

19.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 IQD 28.0K

$17.49 IQD 26.4K

5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.64 IQD 14.6K

$6.66 IQD 10.1K

44.74%

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

$145 IQD 218.9K

$150 IQD 227.3K

-3.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,046 IQD 4.6M

$2,553 IQD 3.9M

19.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.78 IQD 37.4K

$16.58 IQD 25.0K

49.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.66 IQD 43.3K

$21.70 IQD 32.8K

32.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 IQD 90.4K

$37.04 IQD 56.0K

61.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.64 IQD 62.9K

$33.18 IQD 50.1K

25.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 774.7K

$187 IQD 283.1K

173.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 IQD 485.8K

$149 IQD 225.8K

115.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 IQD 1.3M

$410 IQD 619.7K

114.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 IQD 899.0K

$313 IQD 472.8K

90.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,336 IQD 6.6M

$688 IQD 1.0M

530.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 IQD 2.2M

$530 IQD 800.5K

172.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 IQD 753.9K

$487 IQD 735.7K

2.46%

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 Baghdad: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baghdad

$322 32.1%

Sulaymaniyah

$149 22.4% 53.5% $172

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baghdad

$243 24.3%

Sulaymaniyah

$121 18.1% 50.1% $122

Groceries & Markets

Baghdad

$164 16.4%

Sulaymaniyah

$163 24.4% 0.6% $1

Eating Out

Baghdad

$111 11.1%

Sulaymaniyah

$105 15.7% 5.9% $6.6

Clothing & Footwear

Baghdad

$70 7%

Sulaymaniyah

$49 7.3% 30% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Baghdad

$61 6.1%

Sulaymaniyah

$48 7.2% 21.2% $13

Getting Around

Baghdad

$31 3.1%

Sulaymaniyah

$33 5% 7.4% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Baghdad and $187 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Baghdad vs $20.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $163 per month, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Baghdad

🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah

🕒 Local time

16:57 4:57 PM

Same time as Baghdad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,216,040 Capital

823,199

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Baghdad Sulaymaniyah 270 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Baghdad vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sulaymaniyah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Baghdad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Baghdad versus $187 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sulaymaniyah runs roughly 2% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $145 in Baghdad versus $150 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $668 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,001 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sulaymaniyah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Sulaymaniyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.