Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Duhok and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Duhok versus $744 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,057 in Duhok versus $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Duhok versus $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 13% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 52% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 IQD 5,146

$5.32 IQD 6,963

-26.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

-28.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,081

$6.90 IQD 9,030

0.58%

Cappuccino

$2.53 IQD 3,311

$2.56 IQD 3,345

-1.17%

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

$0.42 IQD 555

$0.37 IQD 481

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 237

$0.21 IQD 277

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$2.05 IQD 2,680

-42.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,524

$2.64 IQD 3,450

-26.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,783

$1.42 IQD 1,860

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 IQD 1,124

$0.98 IQD 1,276

-12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,060

$1.66 IQD 2,170

-5.42%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,449

$1.76 IQD 2,296

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 IQD 6,857

$5.80 IQD 7,589

-9.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 IQD 3,826

$3.44 IQD 4,496

-14.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-9.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,469

$1.23 IQD 1,605

-8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,565

$1.25 IQD 1,633

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,070

$1.26 IQD 1,643

-34.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$0.70 IQD 920

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 919

$0.63 IQD 820

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 910

$0.64 IQD 843

9.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 957

$0.54 IQD 710

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.45 IQD 590

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$1.89 IQD 2,467

-1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,884

$1.58 IQD 2,069

-8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$1.74 IQD 2,270

13.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 IQD 431

$0.55 IQD 723

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

-30.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 IQD 2,919

$2.25 IQD 2,945

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,017

$2.24 IQD 2,925

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 IQD 7,949

$5.37 IQD 7,025

13.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 861

$0.75 IQD 984

-12.00%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-8.08%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

-4.09%

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

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

$75.9 IQD 99.3K

23.54%

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

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

-41.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

13.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

$39.68 IQD 51.9K

30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

-0.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 IQD 9,737

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-5.22%

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

$115 IQD 150.0K

$154 IQD 201.1K

-25.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

-5.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

-57.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

-21.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

-30.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

-44.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$237 IQD 309.9K

-24.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 IQD 162.5K

$181 IQD 236.7K

-31.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 IQD 479.6K

$569 IQD 743.8K

-35.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.3K

$344 IQD 450.0K

0.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$471 IQD 615.6K

$805 IQD 1.1M

-41.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 IQD 515.0K

$587 IQD 767.3K

-32.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 IQD 562.4K

$562 IQD 734.7K

-23.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

59.22%

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

Last update for Duhok: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Duhok and $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 31% 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: $19.00 in Duhok vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $183 per month, with Duhok 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

Duhok vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duhok and Sulaymaniyah differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $744 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sulaymaniyah earns 31% 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: $180 in Duhok versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $115 in Duhok versus $154 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sulaymaniyah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Duhok gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.