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 $761 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Duhok versus $1,182 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Duhok versus $1,603 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 15% less than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 52% lower, Sulaymaniyah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 IQD 4,994

$5.25 IQD 6,866

-27.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

-30.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 IQD 9,392

$7.08 IQD 9,257

1.41%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,452

$2.66 IQD 3,481

-0.75%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.39 IQD 512

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.16 IQD 216

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$2.05 IQD 2,687

-44.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,449

$2.59 IQD 3,394

-27.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,786

$1.48 IQD 1,931

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,067

$1.02 IQD 1,329

-19.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,050

$1.66 IQD 2,170

-5.42%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,462

$1.73 IQD 2,260

8.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 IQD 6,825

$5.99 IQD 7,838

-12.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 IQD 3,840

$3.44 IQD 4,501

-14.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

-9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,460

$1.18 IQD 1,543

-5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,494

$1.25 IQD 1,633

-8.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,071

$1.28 IQD 1,674

-35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 977

$0.73 IQD 960

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 939

$0.67 IQD 873

7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 924

$0.64 IQD 839

10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 IQD 1,011

$0.59 IQD 771

30.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 726

$0.48 IQD 630

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$1.88 IQD 2,458

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

$11.35 IQD 14.8K

7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.58 IQD 2,067

-12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,610

$1.75 IQD 2,284

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 460

$0.56 IQD 731

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

$23.10 IQD 30.2K

-31.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,079

$2.33 IQD 3,050

0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$2.33 IQD 3,051

-35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 IQD 7,901

$5.39 IQD 7,044

12.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.75 IQD 983

-14.67%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$21.1K IQD 27.5M

-10.45%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

-7.08%

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

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

$78.8 IQD 103.1K

18.34%

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

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

$16.77 IQD 21.9K

-40.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

$26.39 IQD 34.5K

14.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

$39.02 IQD 51.0K

33.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

2.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-1.66%

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

$112 IQD 146.9K

$154 IQD 201.5K

-27.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

-8.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

-57.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

$25.55 IQD 33.4K

-22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

$44.24 IQD 57.9K

-32.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

$36.79 IQD 48.1K

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.5K

$235 IQD 307.4K

-23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 IQD 160.4K

$181 IQD 237.0K

-32.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 IQD 489.8K

$569 IQD 744.9K

-34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 IQD 450.6K

$344 IQD 450.2K

0.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$460 IQD 601.6K

$810 IQD 1.1M

-43.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 IQD 503.8K

$584 IQD 764.2K

-34.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 IQD 564.3K

$580 IQD 758.5K

-25.60%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Duhok and $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 34% 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 $172 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 18% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $761 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $181 in Duhok versus $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $112 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 7% 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 18% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.