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: $789 in Colombo versus $765 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Colombo is roughly 3% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 43% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$4.55 IQD 5,959

-3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,454

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

10.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,496

$6.94 IQD 9,094

9.51%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 803

$2.47 IQD 3,240

-0.81%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.46 IQD 596

60.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.3

$0.23 IQD 302

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 736

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 978

$2.26 IQD 2,958

31.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 519

$1.38 IQD 1,803

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-42.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-58.25%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,327

$5.03 IQD 6,585

162.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,661

$3.57 IQD 4,681

41.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,344

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-55.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,195

$1.30 IQD 1,707

414.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.30 IQD 1,696

-32.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$1.19 IQD 1,563

265.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 424

$0.68 IQD 891

89.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 329

$0.58 IQD 760

72.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$0.74 IQD 964

8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.71 IQD 933

32.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.50 IQD 651

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,398

$2.42 IQD 3,165

328.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,486

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

20.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 645

$1.85 IQD 2,429

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 947

$1.67 IQD 2,185

73.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.1

$0.60 IQD 782

-71.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,394

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

-68.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-83.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 126

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-83.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$5.50 IQD 7,198

-82.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$0.67 IQD 877

100.00%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

46.47%

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

$42.5K LKR 13.9M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

122.43%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$101 IQD 132.5K

-45.31%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,332

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

-63.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,746

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

-28.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,821

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

-59.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,944

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

-71.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,454

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-43.57%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$175 IQD 229.1K

-77.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 397.7K

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

-58.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,618

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,404

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

-34.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.5K

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

89.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

14.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.0K

$234 IQD 306.0K

137.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.2K

$175 IQD 229.7K

42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 518.8K

$513 IQD 672.3K

207.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.5K

$362 IQD 473.7K

13.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

$800 IQD 1.0M

365.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.4K

$574 IQD 751.4K

111.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.6K

$572 IQD 749.1K

-56.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.77

119.93%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Colombo and $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 127% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $188 per month, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper across the board.

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

Sulaymaniyah wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sulaymaniyah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 127% lower in Sulaymaniyah. 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: $554 in Colombo versus $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Sulaymaniyah versus $789 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sulaymaniyah but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Sulaymaniyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sulaymaniyah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $765 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.