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: $718 in Colombo versus $752 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 5% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$5.40 IQD 7,068

-24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,494

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

-6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$6.98 IQD 9,142

23.21%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.68 IQD 3,507

1.12%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.39 IQD 512

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.21 IQD 274

90.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$2.04 IQD 2,675

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$2.67 IQD 3,492

22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.49 IQD 1,948

14.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.03 IQD 1,346

-46.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.60 IQD 2,101

-45.00%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$1.69 IQD 2,219

26.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,663

$5.79 IQD 7,586

139.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$3.43 IQD 4,492

39.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

-43.62%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,571

$1.17 IQD 1,529

553.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.30 IQD 1,703

-17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,964

$1.26 IQD 1,651

363.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$0.71 IQD 925

76.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$0.67 IQD 875

70.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$0.68 IQD 893

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$0.59 IQD 772

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.45 IQD 589

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$1.93 IQD 2,532

417.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,267

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$1.52 IQD 1,992

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$1.76 IQD 2,305

64.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.55 IQD 725

-70.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

-78.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$2.28 IQD 2,983

-83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$2.29 IQD 2,993

-84.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$5.20 IQD 6,812

-88.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.71 IQD 931

67.61%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

29.67%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

63.71%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

-21.63%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

-73.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,166

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

-42.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

-61.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,485

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

-56.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,104

$7.47 IQD 9,776

-56.09%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$154 IQD 201.3K

-76.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

-87.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,320

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,426

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

-24.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

58.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$236 IQD 309.5K

55.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$177 IQD 232.3K

-2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.2K

$574 IQD 751.2K

69.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 124.0K

$351 IQD 459.5K

5.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$828 IQD 1.1M

333.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$571 IQD 748.3K

102.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$575 IQD 753.3K

-56.44%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $236 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 130% 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: $25.00 in Colombo vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 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 5% 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, salaries run 130% 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: $368 in Colombo versus $236 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 41% 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 $718 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 5% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.