Cost of Living Comparison Between Minsk and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Minsk and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Minsk vs $752 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,364 per month in Minsk vs $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Minsk vs $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Minsk costs about 15% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Minsk and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Minsk 36% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.16 BYN 26.39

$5.40 IQD 7,068

69.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.21 BYN 89.9

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

15.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 BYN 15.40

$6.98 IQD 9,142

-23.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 BYN 4.89

$2.68 IQD 3,507

-36.57%

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

$0.65 BYN 1.86

$0.39 IQD 512

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 BYN 1.22

$0.21 IQD 274

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 BYN 3.60

$2.04 IQD 2,675

-38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 BYN 6.29

$2.67 IQD 3,492

-17.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 BYN 2.11

$1.49 IQD 1,948

-51.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 BYN 1.66

$1.03 IQD 1,346

-43.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 BYN 3.42

$1.60 IQD 2,101

-25.63%

Eggs

$1.35 BYN 3.88

$1.69 IQD 2,219

-20.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.42 BYN 18.48

$5.79 IQD 7,586

10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 BYN 11.79

$3.43 IQD 4,492

19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 BYN 23.25

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

-43.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 BYN 3.36

$1.17 IQD 1,529

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 BYN 4.94

$1.30 IQD 1,703

32.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 BYN 5.05

$1.26 IQD 1,651

38.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 BYN 7.28

$0.71 IQD 925

256.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 BYN 1.35

$0.67 IQD 875

-29.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 BYN 1.76

$0.68 IQD 893

-10.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 BYN 3.88

$0.59 IQD 772

128.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BYN 1.58

$0.45 IQD 589

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 BYN 5.25

$1.93 IQD 2,532

-5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 BYN 25.32

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

-24.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BYN 2.87

$1.52 IQD 1,992

-34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BYN 4.98

$1.76 IQD 2,305

-1.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BYN 0.85

$0.55 IQD 725

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.77 BYN 45.43

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

-32.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 BYN 4.05

$2.28 IQD 2,983

-38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 BYN 0.86

$2.29 IQD 2,993

-86.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 BYN 16.48

$5.20 IQD 6,812

10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 BYN 2.09

$0.71 IQD 931

2.82%

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

$20.2K BYN 58.1K

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

-3.83%

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

$24.3K BYN 70.0K

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

16.15%

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

$53.3 BYN 153

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

-29.91%

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

$7.44 BYN 21.43

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

-54.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.33 BYN 29.74

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

-61.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.32 BYN 90.2

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

-18.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 BYN 42.60

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

-13.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 BYN 13.17

$7.47 IQD 9,776

-38.82%

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

$305 BYN 878

$154 IQD 201.3K

98.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K BYN 29.6K

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

196.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BYN 145

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

110.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.31 BYN 125

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

70.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 BYN 329

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

161.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 BYN 280

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

168.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 BYN 1,374

$236 IQD 309.5K

101.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BYN 911

$177 IQD 232.3K

78.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 BYN 2,437

$574 IQD 751.2K

47.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 BYN 1,604

$351 IQD 459.5K

58.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,555 BYN 7,358

$828 IQD 1.1M

208.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,637 BYN 4,714

$571 IQD 748.3K

186.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$944 BYN 2,719

$575 IQD 753.3K

64.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

64.11%

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

Last update for Minsk: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Minsk versus $236 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 64% higher in Minsk, 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 $31.00 in Minsk versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Minsk vs $184 in Sulaymaniyah – so Minsk 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

Minsk vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minsk costs about 15% more than Sulaymaniyah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Minsk and $1,128 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Minsk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Minsk and $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Minsk and $752 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $752 versus $861 in Minsk. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Minsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.