Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Erbil vs $774 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Erbil vs $1,198 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,213 per month in Erbil vs $1,623 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Erbil costs about 42% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 20% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$4.68 IQD 6,133

63.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 IQD 58.8K

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

98.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 IQD 10.7K

$6.95 IQD 9,102

18.13%

Cappuccino

$3.78 IQD 4,955

$2.37 IQD 3,097

59.49%

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

$1.02 IQD 1,338

$0.42 IQD 553

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$0.21 IQD 274

95.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 IQD 7,823

$4.67 IQD 6,119

27.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 IQD 5,829

$2.31 IQD 3,029

92.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 IQD 1,669

$1.35 IQD 1,768

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$0.91 IQD 1,191

-13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$2.01 IQD 2,636

-15.42%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$1.68 IQD 2,201

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 IQD 10.9K

$4.99 IQD 6,531

66.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 IQD 7,252

$3.56 IQD 4,658

55.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 IQD 19.2K

$15.68 IQD 20.5K

-6.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 IQD 1,446

$1.32 IQD 1,728

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,503

$1.29 IQD 1,686

-10.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 IQD 1,599

$1.20 IQD 1,568

1.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$0.70 IQD 919

15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$0.59 IQD 778

25.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.68 IQD 893

1.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 IQD 1,034

$0.72 IQD 937

9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 761

$0.50 IQD 650

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 IQD 3,293

$2.40 IQD 3,148

4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 IQD 16.5K

$11.54 IQD 15.1K

9.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 IQD 2,196

$1.95 IQD 2,560

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$1.67 IQD 2,193

23.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 781

$0.55 IQD 722

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

$23.03 IQD 30.2K

90.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.36 IQD 3,087

-18.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 IQD 2,279

$2.26 IQD 2,961

-23.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 IQD 8,521

$5.33 IQD 6,982

22.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 876

$0.67 IQD 879

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$20.4K IQD 26.6M

-11.84%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

1.39%

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

$130 IQD 170.4K

$99.6 IQD 130.4K

30.75%

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

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$11.01 IQD 14.4K

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

$29.26 IQD 38.3K

-4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 IQD 84.5K

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

78.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 IQD 19.0K

$20.49 IQD 26.8K

-29.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

46.03%

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

$312 IQD 409.1K

$176 IQD 231.1K

77.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,080 IQD 4.0M

$2,969 IQD 3.9M

3.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$18.91 IQD 24.8K

64.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 IQD 59.0K

$25.92 IQD 33.9K

73.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 IQD 89.3K

$42.61 IQD 55.8K

60.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 IQD 89.0K

$37.42 IQD 49.0K

81.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 IQD 619.0K

$229 IQD 300.2K

106.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 375.6K

$177 IQD 231.7K

62.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.7K

$499 IQD 653.5K

46.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 558.4K

$357 IQD 466.9K

19.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 IQD 1.5M

$813 IQD 1.1M

37.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 IQD 841.7K

$582 IQD 761.8K

10.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 IQD 803.3K

$563 IQD 737.4K

8.92%

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 Erbil: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Erbil versus $229 in Sulaymaniyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Erbil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Erbil versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $188 – making Sulaymaniyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Erbil vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Erbil is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,643 per month in Erbil and $1,161 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sulaymaniyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Erbil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Erbil and $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sulaymaniyah, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Erbil at $1,095. In Sulaymaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Erbil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sulaymaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Erbil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.