Cost of Living Comparison Between Karbala and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Karbala and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $641 per month in Karbala vs $754 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $964 per month in Karbala vs $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,287 per month in Karbala vs $1,561 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Karbala is about 15% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karbala and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Karbala 52% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 IQD 6,378

$5.43 IQD 7,115

-10.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.32 IQD 20.1K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-42.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 IQD 6,980

$6.84 IQD 8,958

-22.08%

Cappuccino

$1.62 IQD 2,115

$2.65 IQD 3,471

-38.87%

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

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.39 IQD 512

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 IQD 394

$0.21 IQD 280

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$2.14 IQD 2,796

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,795

$2.59 IQD 3,395

11.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 IQD 1,562

$1.48 IQD 1,940

-19.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 960

$0.98 IQD 1,278

-25.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 IQD 1,895

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-12.12%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,253

$1.72 IQD 2,254

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 IQD 6,695

$5.88 IQD 7,697

-13.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 IQD 6,121

$3.59 IQD 4,702

30.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 IQD 12.6K

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

-32.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,297

$1.23 IQD 1,616

-19.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,406

$1.24 IQD 1,625

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,178

$1.32 IQD 1,725

-31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$0.71 IQD 929

-7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 885

$0.67 IQD 877

1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 668

$0.68 IQD 894

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 787

$0.55 IQD 716

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.48 IQD 633

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,541

$1.86 IQD 2,441

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.51 IQD 1,976

-29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,840

$1.83 IQD 2,390

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.56 IQD 730

-33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

36.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$2.36 IQD 3,086

-5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,931

$2.30 IQD 3,010

-35.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$5.47 IQD 7,163

40.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 IQD 639

$0.73 IQD 951

-32.88%

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

$11.3K IQD 14.8M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-44.81%

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

$14.7K IQD 19.2M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

-29.79%

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

$71.4 IQD 93.5K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-6.87%

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

$25.13 IQD 32.9K

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

50.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 IQD 64.6K

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

84.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.67 IQD 29.7K

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

-42.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.07 IQD 22.3K

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-0.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 IQD 11.5K

$7.48 IQD 9,791

17.65%

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

$128 IQD 167.1K

$151 IQD 197.1K

-15.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$778 IQD 1.0M

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

-77.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

-28.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

-43.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.75 IQD 40.3K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

-29.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.28 IQD 42.3K

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

-10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 IQD 336.6K

$234 IQD 305.9K

10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 IQD 190.8K

$178 IQD 232.5K

-17.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.2K

$573 IQD 750.2K

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.3K

$338 IQD 443.0K

-28.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$958 IQD 1.3M

$803 IQD 1.1M

19.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$333 IQD 435.6K

$582 IQD 762.3K

-42.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 IQD 623.9K

$572 IQD 749.3K

-16.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-37.00%

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

Last update for Karbala: April 11, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Karbala versus $234 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 20% higher in Sulaymaniyah, 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 $15 in Karbala versus $27 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $140 vs $184 – making Karbala 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

Karbala vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $962 per month in Karbala and $1,131 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $641 in Karbala and $754 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Karbala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $641 in Karbala and $754 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karbala – 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 Karbala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sulaymaniyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.