Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalar and Sulaymaniyah

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalar: $500 a month against $663 in Sulaymaniyah, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kalar
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Kalar Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Sulaymaniyah
Learn more

Sulaymaniyah Living Index

Jump to prices

Kalar

🇮🇶 Iraq

$500

/mo nomad

Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kalar and in Sulaymaniyah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kalar and in Sulaymaniyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Kalar versus $663 in Sulaymaniyah.

Kalar $500
Sulaymaniyah $663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $745 in Kalar versus $1,034 in Sulaymaniyah.

Kalar $745
Sulaymaniyah $1,034

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $991 in Kalar versus $1,406 in Sulaymaniyah.

Kalar $991
Sulaymaniyah $1,406

Living in Kalar costs roughly 25% less than in Sulaymaniyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kalar 63% lower, Sulaymaniyah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.18 IQD 6,309

$4.21 IQD 6,358

-0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.53 IQD 15.9K

$19.75 IQD 29.8K

-46.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.07 IQD 4,643

$5.90 IQD 8,910

-47.97%

Cappuccino

$0.85 IQD 1,283

$2.45 IQD 3,699

-65.31%

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

$0.45 IQD 682

$0.43 IQD 650

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 IQD 214

$0.20 IQD 302

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 IQD 8,284

$3.22 IQD 4,869

70.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 IQD 5,936

$2.04 IQD 3,078

92.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,387

$1.11 IQD 1,676

-17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 IQD 1,090

$0.89 IQD 1,338

-19.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,945

$1.66 IQD 2,514

-22.29%

Eggs

$1.12 IQD 1,697

$1.55 IQD 2,344

-27.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.90 IQD 4,373

$4.31 IQD 6,505

-32.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.00 IQD 3,018

$3.66 IQD 5,532

-45.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 IQD 16.4K

$13.27 IQD 20.0K

-18.09%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,218

$1.11 IQD 1,679

-27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,461

$1.09 IQD 1,645

-11.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 IQD 1,285

$1.04 IQD 1,578

-18.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 1,052

$0.56 IQD 843

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 873

$0.49 IQD 740

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 948

$0.63 IQD 956

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 908

$0.58 IQD 883

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 IQD 585

$0.45 IQD 685

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 IQD 3,163

$2.02 IQD 3,047

3.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 IQD 16.2K

$9.76 IQD 14.7K

9.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 IQD 2,212

$1.66 IQD 2,507

-12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,813

$1.25 IQD 1,895

48.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 IQD 739

$0.52 IQD 786

-5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 IQD 39.5K

$19.74 IQD 29.8K

32.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 IQD 2,524

$1.92 IQD 2,903

-13.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,345

$1.96 IQD 2,959

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 IQD 5,036

$4.48 IQD 6,769

-25.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 814

$0.57 IQD 865

-5.26%

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

$14.6K IQD 22.1M

$17.6K IQD 26.5M

-16.78%

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

$16.4K IQD 24.8M

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

-3.14%

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

$46.19 IQD 69.7K

$85.2 IQD 128.6K

-45.77%

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

$11.71 IQD 17.7K

$10.12 IQD 15.3K

15.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 IQD 31.5K

$24.03 IQD 36.3K

-13.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.77 IQD 25.3K

$33.78 IQD 51.0K

-50.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.49 IQD 49.1K

$17.92 IQD 27.1K

81.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 IQD 10.2K

$6.56 IQD 9,909

2.74%

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

$43.60 IQD 65.8K

$153 IQD 230.9K

-71.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,306 IQD 2.0M

$2,546 IQD 3.8M

-48.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.86 IQD 16.4K

$16.75 IQD 25.3K

-35.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.02 IQD 18.2K

$22.28 IQD 33.6K

-46.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.98 IQD 34.7K

$36.83 IQD 55.6K

-37.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.22 IQD 42.6K

$33.01 IQD 49.8K

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 IQD 227.8K

$187 IQD 282.4K

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.5 IQD 139.7K

$147 IQD 221.8K

-36.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 371.3K

$419 IQD 632.4K

-41.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 IQD 189.6K

$314 IQD 474.1K

-60.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$874 IQD 1.3M

$695 IQD 1.0M

25.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$392 IQD 591.3K

$548 IQD 827.6K

-28.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 IQD 453.1K

$501 IQD 756.8K

-40.14%

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 Kalar: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kalar

$137 27.4%

Sulaymaniyah

$164 24.7% 19.9% $27

Accommodation & Living

Kalar

$93 18.5%

Sulaymaniyah

$147 22.2% 58.7% $54

Eating Out

Kalar

$91 18.1%

Sulaymaniyah

$104 15.6% 14.4% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kalar

$79 15.8%

Sulaymaniyah

$119 18% 51.5% $41

Getting Around

Kalar

$38 7.5%

Sulaymaniyah

$34 5.1% 10.6% $4

Clothing & Footwear

Kalar

$33 6.7%

Sulaymaniyah

$49 7.4% 46.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Kalar

$30 6.1%

Sulaymaniyah

$47 7.1% 55% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Kalar and $187 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 67% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $11 in Kalar vs $20 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $137 vs $164 per month, with Kalar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Kalar

🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah

🕒 Local time

08:06 8:06 AM

Same time as Kalar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

250,000

823,199

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Kalar Sulaymaniyah 100 km

From you

Kalar
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kalar vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar is about 25% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Kalar. 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: $151 in Kalar versus $187 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalar – a meal for two runs $11 versus $20 in Sulaymaniyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $500 per month in Kalar versus $663 in Sulaymaniyah – Kalar is about 25% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kalar 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.

It comes down to priorities – Kalar wins on affordability, Sulaymaniyah on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.