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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $632 per month in Mosul vs $752 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,006 per month in Mosul vs $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,380 per month in Mosul vs $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Mosul is about 16% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mosul and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Mosul 53% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 IQD 4,547

$5.40 IQD 7,068

-35.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

-27.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 IQD 7,956

$6.98 IQD 9,142

-12.89%

Cappuccino

$1.61 IQD 2,109

$2.68 IQD 3,507

-39.93%

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

$0.40 IQD 528

$0.39 IQD 512

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 278

$0.21 IQD 274

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 IQD 2,033

$2.04 IQD 2,675

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,964

$2.67 IQD 3,492

-43.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 IQD 1,319

$1.49 IQD 1,948

-32.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,073

$1.03 IQD 1,346

-20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,690

$1.60 IQD 2,100

-19.38%

Eggs

$1.59 IQD 2,076

$1.69 IQD 2,219

-5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,665

$5.79 IQD 7,586

-38.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 IQD 5,165

$3.43 IQD 4,492

14.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

-18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 953

$1.17 IQD 1,529

-37.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,389

$1.30 IQD 1,703

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 942

$1.26 IQD 1,651

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 IQD 611

$0.71 IQD 925

-33.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 IQD 592

$0.67 IQD 875

-32.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.68 IQD 893

-14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 IQD 622

$0.59 IQD 772

-18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 676

$0.45 IQD 589

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$1.93 IQD 2,532

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 IQD 9,958

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

-34.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 IQD 1,831

$1.52 IQD 1,992

-7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 IQD 2,461

$1.76 IQD 2,305

6.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.55 IQD 725

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

228.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 IQD 1,949

$2.28 IQD 2,983

-34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,927

$2.29 IQD 2,993

-35.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 IQD 5,864

$5.20 IQD 6,812

-13.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 IQD 686

$0.71 IQD 931

-26.76%

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

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

-16.65%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

-3.21%

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

$100 IQD 131.1K

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

31.69%

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

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

-8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.10 IQD 28.9K

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

-42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 IQD 28.7K

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

28.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 IQD 12.7K

$7.47 IQD 9,776

29.59%

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

$180 IQD 236.3K

$154 IQD 201.3K

17.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,281 IQD 4.3M

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

-5.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

-36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

-23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.54 IQD 34.7K

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

-39.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

-29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 IQD 196.2K

$236 IQD 309.5K

-36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.6 IQD 114.7K

$177 IQD 232.3K

-50.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 IQD 349.3K

$574 IQD 751.2K

-53.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 IQD 368.8K

$351 IQD 459.5K

-19.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$792 IQD 1.0M

$828 IQD 1.1M

-4.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$913 IQD 1.2M

$571 IQD 748.3K

59.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 IQD 640.2K

$575 IQD 753.3K

-15.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

59.22%

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

Last update for Mosul: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $150 in Mosul 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 18% 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $184 – 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: $632 in Mosul, $752 in Sulaymaniyah – roughly 19% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $948 per month in Mosul 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 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 $632 in Mosul and $752 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 229% 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 $632 in Mosul and $752 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.