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: $742 in Basra versus $747 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Basra costs roughly 1% 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

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$5.32 IQD 6,969

-28.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

-7.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$7.08 IQD 9,272

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$2.65 IQD 3,471

-22.26%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$0.37 IQD 481

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.18 IQD 236

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.07 IQD 2,710

86.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$2.73 IQD 3,570

-1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$1.03 IQD 1,345

-32.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.60 IQD 2,094

-11.88%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$1.78 IQD 2,325

7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$5.76 IQD 7,540

39.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$3.46 IQD 4,533

108.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

-6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$1.17 IQD 1,532

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.29 IQD 1,691

10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$1.33 IQD 1,737

-23.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.71 IQD 923

-11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$0.62 IQD 808

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$0.67 IQD 878

-14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$0.58 IQD 764

43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.46 IQD 601

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.89 IQD 2,481

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

13.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.50 IQD 1,971

98.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$1.75 IQD 2,287

116.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.55 IQD 721

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

0.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.36 IQD 3,087

-2.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$2.33 IQD 3,050

-5.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$5.41 IQD 7,082

24.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$0.72 IQD 943

-19.44%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

-36.15%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

10.65%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

-25.56%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

50.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

46.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

-4.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

-6.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-0.39%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$155 IQD 202.4K

-37.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

8.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

77.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

-19.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

65.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$237 IQD 309.9K

92.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$175 IQD 229.7K

-24.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$581 IQD 760.3K

58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$346 IQD 453.6K

93.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$799 IQD 1.0M

97.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$569 IQD 745.3K

40.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$567 IQD 742.3K

34.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 35% 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 $213 vs $182, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $747 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Basra pays 35% more on average, 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: $455 in Basra versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 17% 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 $742 in Basra versus $747 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 1% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.