Cost of Living Comparison Between Mosul and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mosul and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $653 per month in Mosul vs $765 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,030 per month in Mosul vs $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,407 per month in Mosul vs $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Mosul is about 15% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mosul and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Mosul 53% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.34 IQD 4,380

$4.55 IQD 5,959

-26.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

-17.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 IQD 8,156

$6.94 IQD 9,095

-10.23%

Cappuccino

$1.62 IQD 2,118

$2.47 IQD 3,240

-34.41%

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

$0.37 IQD 489

$0.46 IQD 596

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.23 IQD 302

-26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 IQD 2,051

$4.48 IQD 5,865

-64.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 IQD 2,043

$2.26 IQD 2,958

-30.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 IQD 1,047

$1.38 IQD 1,803

-42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,045

$0.90 IQD 1,183

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,739

$1.94 IQD 2,546

-31.44%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.70 IQD 2,227

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.59 IQD 4,707

$5.03 IQD 6,585

-28.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 IQD 5,687

$3.57 IQD 4,682

21.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.71 IQD 15.3K

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

-27.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$1.30 IQD 1,707

-46.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,401

$1.30 IQD 1,696

-17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 IQD 692

$0.68 IQD 891

-22.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 644

$0.58 IQD 760

-15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 IQD 582

$0.74 IQD 964

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.71 IQD 933

-45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 862

$0.50 IQD 651

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,463

$2.42 IQD 3,165

-22.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

-30.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,564

$1.85 IQD 2,429

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$1.67 IQD 2,185

13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.60 IQD 782

-35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 IQD 98.7K

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

226.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 IQD 2,061

$2.33 IQD 3,046

-32.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,944

$2.35 IQD 3,083

-37.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 IQD 5,907

$5.50 IQD 7,198

-18.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 661

$0.67 IQD 877

-25.37%

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

$17.2K IQD 22.6M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

-15.86%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

6.57%

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

$88.0 IQD 115.3K

$101 IQD 132.5K

-13.00%

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

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

39.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.00 IQD 44.5K

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

18.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.85 IQD 31.2K

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

-33.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 IQD 34.0K

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

26.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 IQD 12.8K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

24.59%

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

$200 IQD 261.7K

$175 IQD 229.1K

14.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,569 IQD 4.7M

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

23.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

-37.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.90 IQD 24.8K

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

-24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

-37.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

-32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 IQD 212.7K

$234 IQD 306.0K

-30.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 IQD 149.7K

$175 IQD 229.7K

-34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 368.5K

$513 IQD 672.3K

-45.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 IQD 371.4K

$362 IQD 473.7K

-21.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$812 IQD 1.1M

$800 IQD 1.0M

1.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$927 IQD 1.2M

$574 IQD 751.4K

61.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 IQD 624.2K

$572 IQD 749.1K

-16.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

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

Last update for Mosul: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $162 in Mosul 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 $19.00 in Mosul versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $188 – making Mosul 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

Mosul vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $653 in Mosul, $765 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 17% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $980 per month in Mosul 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 Mosul, 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 $653 in Mosul and $765 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 227% less in Mosul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $653 in Mosul and $765 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mosul – 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 Mosul. 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.