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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $747 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,548 per month in Erbil vs $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Erbil vs $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Erbil costs about 38% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Erbil 23% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$5.32 IQD 6,969

45.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

-14.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

$7.08 IQD 9,272

26.84%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,096

$2.65 IQD 3,471

18.11%

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

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.37 IQD 481

32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.18 IQD 236

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 IQD 2,624

$2.07 IQD 2,710

-3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,797

$2.73 IQD 3,570

-21.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-7.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$1.03 IQD 1,345

-18.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.60 IQD 2,094

12.50%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,599

$1.78 IQD 2,325

11.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 IQD 9,879

$5.76 IQD 7,540

30.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,282

$3.46 IQD 4,533

38.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,491

$1.17 IQD 1,532

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.29 IQD 1,691

-6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$1.33 IQD 1,737

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 994

$0.71 IQD 923

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 918

$0.62 IQD 808

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 938

$0.67 IQD 878

7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$0.58 IQD 764

34.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 688

$0.46 IQD 601

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 IQD 3,449

$1.89 IQD 2,481

39.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,899

$1.50 IQD 1,971

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$1.75 IQD 2,287

14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 IQD 709

$0.55 IQD 721

-1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

47.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,084

$2.36 IQD 3,087

-0.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 IQD 2,885

$2.33 IQD 3,050

-5.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 IQD 8,999

$5.41 IQD 7,082

26.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.72 IQD 943

-2.78%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

-8.06%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

-1.39%

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

$102 IQD 134.1K

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

34.77%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

7.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

87.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

-29.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

49.36%

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

$269 IQD 352.1K

$155 IQD 202.4K

73.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

-5.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

39.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

91.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

83.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

114.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 IQD 557.6K

$237 IQD 309.9K

79.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 IQD 364.4K

$175 IQD 229.7K

58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 IQD 951.1K

$581 IQD 760.3K

25.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 IQD 635.3K

$346 IQD 453.6K

40.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

$799 IQD 1.0M

40.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 IQD 862.2K

$569 IQD 745.3K

15.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 IQD 765.0K

$567 IQD 742.3K

3.05%

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 Erbil: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Erbil versus $237 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 3% 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 $23.00 in Erbil versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Erbil vs $182 in Sulaymaniyah – so Sulaymaniyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 38%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil and $1,121 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 8% 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 $23.00 in Erbil and $27.00 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 $747, than in Erbil at $1,034. 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.