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: $663 in Duhok versus $765 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,064 in Duhok versus $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,466 in Duhok versus $1,575 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

$3.84 IQD 5,024

$4.55 IQD 5,959

-15.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 IQD 24.8K

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

-18.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 IQD 11.3K

$6.94 IQD 9,094

24.21%

Cappuccino

$2.81 IQD 3,684

$2.47 IQD 3,240

13.77%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.46 IQD 596

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.23 IQD 302

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 IQD 2,464

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 IQD 3,074

$2.26 IQD 2,958

3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,611

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 IQD 2,311

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-9.28%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$1.70 IQD 2,227

8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.91 IQD 6,436

$5.03 IQD 6,585

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 IQD 4,041

$3.57 IQD 4,681

-13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 IQD 16.9K

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-19.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,408

$1.30 IQD 1,707

-16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,450

$1.30 IQD 1,696

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,065

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-31.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$0.68 IQD 891

1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$0.58 IQD 760

29.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.74 IQD 964

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$0.71 IQD 933

12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.50 IQD 651

18.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 IQD 2,517

$2.42 IQD 3,165

-20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 IQD 2,147

$1.85 IQD 2,429

-11.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 IQD 2,686

$1.67 IQD 2,185

22.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 466

$0.60 IQD 782

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.53 IQD 20.3K

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

-32.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 IQD 2,436

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-20.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 IQD 1,875

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-39.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 IQD 7,629

$5.50 IQD 7,198

6.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.67 IQD 877

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

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

-10.62%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

5.53%

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

$92.3 IQD 120.8K

$101 IQD 132.5K

-8.83%

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

$9.76 IQD 12.8K

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

-11.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.23 IQD 37.0K

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

-1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

50.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-3.82%

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

$111 IQD 145.6K

$175 IQD 229.1K

-36.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,151 IQD 4.1M

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

8.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

-47.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 IQD 26.4K

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

-19.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.16 IQD 39.5K

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

-29.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.11 IQD 26.3K

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

-46.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.5K

$234 IQD 306.0K

-23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 IQD 163.7K

$175 IQD 229.7K

-28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 IQD 479.6K

$513 IQD 672.3K

-28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 442.9K

$362 IQD 473.7K

-6.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$477 IQD 625.2K

$800 IQD 1.0M

-40.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$391 IQD 512.6K

$574 IQD 751.4K

-31.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 IQD 595.5K

$572 IQD 749.1K

-20.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.77

-56.15%

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

Last update for Duhok: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $179 in Duhok and $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 26% 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $188 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 ($663 vs $765 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% 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: $179 in Duhok versus $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $111 in Duhok versus $175 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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.