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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $881 per month in Minsk vs $747 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,359 per month in Minsk vs $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,837 per month in Minsk vs $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Minsk costs about 18% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Minsk and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Minsk 34% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.44 BYN 26.42

$5.32 IQD 6,969

77.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.84 BYN 86.4

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

14.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 BYN 14.99

$7.08 IQD 9,272

-24.44%

Cappuccino

$1.70 BYN 4.75

$2.65 IQD 3,471

-35.85%

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

$0.64 BYN 1.78

$0.37 IQD 481

72.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 BYN 1.28

$0.18 IQD 236

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 BYN 3.35

$2.07 IQD 2,710

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BYN 5.90

$2.73 IQD 3,570

-22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 BYN 2.08

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 BYN 1.68

$1.03 IQD 1,345

-41.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 BYN 3.45

$1.60 IQD 2,094

-23.13%

Eggs

$1.29 BYN 3.62

$1.78 IQD 2,325

-27.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 BYN 18.12

$5.76 IQD 7,540

12.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 BYN 11.52

$3.46 IQD 4,533

18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 BYN 21.87

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

-44.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 BYN 3.23

$1.17 IQD 1,532

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BYN 4.77

$1.29 IQD 1,691

31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 BYN 5.08

$1.33 IQD 1,737

36.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 BYN 6.94

$0.71 IQD 923

249.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 BYN 1.31

$0.62 IQD 808

-24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 BYN 1.57

$0.67 IQD 878

-16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 BYN 3.60

$0.58 IQD 764

122.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 BYN 1.64

$0.46 IQD 601

26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 BYN 5.21

$1.89 IQD 2,481

-1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 BYN 25.50

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

-18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 BYN 2.77

$1.50 IQD 1,971

-34.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BYN 5.13

$1.75 IQD 2,287

4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BYN 0.84

$0.55 IQD 721

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.50 BYN 43.39

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

-32.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 BYN 3.96

$2.36 IQD 3,087

-40.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 BYN 0.84

$2.33 IQD 3,050

-87.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 BYN 16.38

$5.41 IQD 7,082

8.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 BYN 2.17

$0.72 IQD 943

6.94%

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

$19.9K BYN 55.8K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

-4.06%

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

$23.6K BYN 66.1K

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

12.58%

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

$54.0 BYN 151

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

-29.00%

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

$7.58 BYN 21.21

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

-54.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.56 BYN 29.55

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

-59.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.71 BYN 86.0

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

-20.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 BYN 42.28

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

-9.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 BYN 13.25

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-39.20%

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

$303 BYN 849

$155 IQD 202.4K

96.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K BYN 28.9K

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

197.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 BYN 142

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

115.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 BYN 121

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

70.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 BYN 316

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

156.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 BYN 272

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

171.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 BYN 1,320

$237 IQD 309.9K

99.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BYN 882

$175 IQD 229.7K

79.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 BYN 2,370

$581 IQD 760.3K

45.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 BYN 1,545

$346 IQD 453.6K

59.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,519 BYN 7,052

$799 IQD 1.0M

215.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,607 BYN 4,500

$569 IQD 745.3K

182.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 BYN 2,647

$567 IQD 742.3K

66.79%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Minsk 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 67% 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 $182 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 18% 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 $1,322 per month in Minsk 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $881 in Minsk and $747 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $747 versus $881 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.