Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Basra versus $752 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Basra versus $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,996 in Basra versus $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Basra costs roughly 2% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 IQD 4,959

$5.40 IQD 7,068

-29.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

-6.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 IQD 8,831

$6.98 IQD 9,142

-3.44%

Cappuccino

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.68 IQD 3,507

-24.25%

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

$0.47 IQD 612

$0.39 IQD 512

20.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.21 IQD 274

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 IQD 4,866

$2.04 IQD 2,675

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,391

$2.67 IQD 3,492

-3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,608

$1.49 IQD 1,948

-17.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 922

$1.03 IQD 1,346

-32.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 IQD 1,906

$1.60 IQD 2,100

-8.75%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,467

$1.69 IQD 2,219

11.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

$5.79 IQD 7,586

42.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$3.43 IQD 4,492

102.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

-8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,370

$1.17 IQD 1,529

-10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 IQD 1,756

$1.30 IQD 1,703

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,316

$1.26 IQD 1,651

-20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 774

$0.71 IQD 925

-16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.67 IQD 875

1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 789

$0.68 IQD 893

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,022

$0.59 IQD 772

32.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 542

$0.45 IQD 589

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.93 IQD 2,532

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 IQD 3,957

$1.52 IQD 1,992

98.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 IQD 5,139

$1.76 IQD 2,305

122.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.55 IQD 725

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,992

$2.28 IQD 2,983

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$2.29 IQD 2,993

-1.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 IQD 9,071

$5.20 IQD 6,812

33.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.71 IQD 931

-21.13%

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

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

-37.33%

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

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

8.06%

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

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

-25.47%

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

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

55.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

43.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

-5.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

-8.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$7.47 IQD 9,776

4.69%

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

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

$154 IQD 201.3K

-36.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

78.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

-19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

60.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 IQD 582.7K

$236 IQD 309.5K

88.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 IQD 178.0K

$177 IQD 232.3K

-23.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 IQD 1.2M

$574 IQD 751.2K

58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 IQD 851.8K

$351 IQD 459.5K

85.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

$828 IQD 1.1M

93.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 IQD 1.0M

$571 IQD 748.3K

37.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 985.3K

$575 IQD 753.3K

30.80%

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 Basra: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Basra and $236 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $184, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Basra vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Sulaymaniyah differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $752 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Basra, 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: $445 in Basra versus $236 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Basra versus $752 in Sulaymaniyah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Sulaymaniyah. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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, Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.