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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Minsk vs $765 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,637 per month in Minsk vs $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,252 per month in Minsk vs $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Minsk costs about 34% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Minsk and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Minsk 26% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 BYN 30.74

$4.55 IQD 5,959

120.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.65 BYN 152

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

112.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 BYN 21.58

$6.94 IQD 9,094

1.59%

Cappuccino

$2.30 BYN 7.04

$2.47 IQD 3,240

-6.88%

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

$0.94 BYN 2.88

$0.46 IQD 596

104.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 BYN 1.70

$0.23 IQD 302

143.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 BYN 4.41

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-67.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 BYN 8.00

$2.26 IQD 2,958

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 BYN 2.70

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 BYN 2.07

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-24.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 BYN 3.86

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-35.05%

Eggs

$1.59 BYN 4.86

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 BYN 23.10

$5.03 IQD 6,585

50.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 BYN 15.97

$3.57 IQD 4,681

46.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 BYN 33.19

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-32.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BYN 4.74

$1.30 IQD 1,707

19.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 BYN 5.26

$1.30 IQD 1,696

32.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 BYN 6.41

$1.19 IQD 1,563

75.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 BYN 8.54

$0.68 IQD 891

310.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 BYN 2.06

$0.58 IQD 760

15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 BYN 2.12

$0.74 IQD 964

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 BYN 4.96

$0.71 IQD 933

128.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 BYN 1.88

$0.50 IQD 651

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 BYN 8.19

$2.42 IQD 3,165

10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 BYN 24.60

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

-29.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 BYN 3.10

$1.85 IQD 2,429

-45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 BYN 5.99

$1.67 IQD 2,185

17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 BYN 0.97

$0.60 IQD 782

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.41 BYN 56.4

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

-20.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 BYN 5.03

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-29.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 BYN 1.56

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-78.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 BYN 30.64

$5.50 IQD 7,198

82.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 BYN 2.77

$0.67 IQD 877

35.82%

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

$23.9K BYN 73.1K

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

16.55%

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

$22.4K BYN 68.6K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

17.37%

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

$58.8 BYN 180

$101 IQD 132.5K

-41.88%

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

$8.40 BYN 25.69

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

-23.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.13 BYN 40.19

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

-54.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 BYN 115

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

4.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.40 BYN 62.4

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

-0.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 BYN 17.98

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-25.10%

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

$378 BYN 1,156

$175 IQD 229.1K

115.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K BYN 75.1K

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

746.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 BYN 159

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

166.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 BYN 133

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

73.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BYN 321

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

146.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BYN 327

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

182.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 BYN 1,772

$234 IQD 306.0K

147.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 BYN 1,167

$175 IQD 229.7K

117.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 BYN 3,087

$513 IQD 672.3K

96.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 BYN 2,098

$362 IQD 473.7K

89.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 BYN 7,787

$800 IQD 1.0M

218.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,660 BYN 5,080

$574 IQD 751.4K

189.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 BYN 2,793

$572 IQD 749.1K

59.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.92

5.77

175.91%

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

Last update for Minsk: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Minsk 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 60% 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 $50.0 in Minsk versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 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

Minsk vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minsk costs about 34% 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 $1,532 per month in Minsk and $1,147 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 1% more in Minsk, 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 $50.0 in Minsk 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 $765, than in Minsk at $1,021. In Sulaymaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Minsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $765 versus $1,021 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.