Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in Colombo versus $754 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,161 in Colombo versus $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,612 in Colombo versus $1,561 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 6% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 47% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,242

$5.43 IQD 7,116

-27.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.89 LKR 7,861

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,717

$6.84 IQD 8,958

25.73%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 831

$2.65 IQD 3,471

-0.75%

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

$0.69 LKR 219

$0.39 IQD 512

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 127

$0.21 IQD 280

90.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 718

$2.14 IQD 2,796

6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,067

$2.59 IQD 3,395

30.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LKR 560

$1.48 IQD 1,940

19.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 179

$0.98 IQD 1,278

-41.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 262

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-49.70%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 669

$1.72 IQD 2,254

23.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 LKR 4,375

$5.88 IQD 7,697

135.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,464

$3.59 IQD 4,702

29.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 LKR 2,519

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

-43.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,333

$1.23 IQD 1,616

500.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 354

$1.24 IQD 1,626

-9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 LKR 1,785

$1.32 IQD 1,725

328.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 381

$0.71 IQD 929

70.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 362

$0.67 IQD 877

71.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 444

$0.68 IQD 894

107.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 374

$0.55 IQD 716

114.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 191

$0.48 IQD 633

27.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 LKR 3,217

$1.86 IQD 2,441

447.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,065

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

11.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 656

$1.51 IQD 1,976

37.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 926

$1.83 IQD 2,390

60.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 58.7

$0.56 IQD 730

-66.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,557

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

-78.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 121

$2.36 IQD 3,086

-83.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$2.30 IQD 3,010

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 194

$5.47 IQD 7,163

-88.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 385

$0.73 IQD 951

67.12%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

31.43%

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

$34.6K LKR 10.9M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

65.52%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.0K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-21.68%

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

$4.36 LKR 1,377

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

-73.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 LKR 4,768

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

-43.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.30 LKR 4,518

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

-63.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.38 LKR 2,332

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-56.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.34 LKR 1,054

$7.48 IQD 9,791

-55.35%

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

$36.76 LKR 11.6K

$151 IQD 197.1K

-75.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 140.7K

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

-87.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.84 LKR 8,792

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

17.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 LKR 6,238

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

-22.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 LKR 21.6K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

55.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.76 LKR 12.2K

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LKR 119.4K

$234 IQD 305.9K

61.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 LKR 55.3K

$178 IQD 232.5K

-1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 LKR 305.9K

$573 IQD 750.3K

69.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 115.6K

$338 IQD 443.0K

8.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,718 LKR 1.2M

$803 IQD 1.1M

363.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,230 LKR 388.4K

$582 IQD 762.3K

111.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 LKR 76.4K

$572 IQD 749.3K

-57.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

82.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Colombo: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Colombo and $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 136% 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: $25 in Colombo vs $27 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 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

Colombo vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Sulaymaniyah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Sulaymaniyah earns 136% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Colombo versus $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – 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.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $710 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.