Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oral and Sulaymaniyah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah: $663 a month against $723 in Oral, rent and utilities included – about $720 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Oral outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Oral, Kazakhstan
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Oral
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$723
/mo nomad
Sulaymaniyah
🇮🇶 Iraq
$663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oral and in Sulaymaniyah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oral and in Sulaymaniyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $723 per month in Oral vs $663 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

  • Oral $723
  • Sulaymaniyah $663

A couple spends around $1,099 per month in Oral vs $1,034 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

  • Oral $1,099
  • Sulaymaniyah $1,034

A family of three spends $1,476 per month in Oral vs $1,406 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

  • Oral $1,476
  • Sulaymaniyah $1,406

Oral costs about 9% more than Sulaymaniyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Oral and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Oral 47% lower, Sulaymaniyah 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 ₸3,764
$4.21 IQD 6,363
97.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.73 ₸15.3K
$19.75 IQD 29.8K
70.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.12 ₸3,684
$5.90 IQD 8,916
37.63%
Cappuccino
$1.85 ₸840
$2.45 IQD 3,702
-24.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 ₸441
$0.43 IQD 650
125.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₸267
$0.20 IQD 302
195.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.87 ₸394
$3.22 IQD 4,873
-72.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ₸934
$2.04 IQD 3,080
0.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 ₸661
$1.11 IQD 1,677
31.53%
White Bread (500g)
$0.47 ₸213
$0.89 IQD 1,339
-47.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 ₸768
$1.66 IQD 2,516
1.81%
Eggs
$1.44 ₸652
$1.55 IQD 2,345
-7.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.92 ₸4,044
$4.31 IQD 6,509
106.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₸1,993
$3.66 IQD 5,536
19.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.31 ₸5,129
$13.27 IQD 20.1K
-14.77%
Apples (1kg)
$1.25 ₸567
$1.11 IQD 1,680
12.61%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 ₸919
$1.09 IQD 1,646
86.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ₸1,079
$1.04 IQD 1,579
128.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 ₸1,470
$0.56 IQD 843
478.57%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 ₸190
$0.49 IQD 740
-14.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.32 ₸147
$0.63 IQD 957
-49.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ₸322
$0.58 IQD 883
22.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 ₸515
$0.45 IQD 685
153.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 ₸997
$2.02 IQD 3,049
8.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.72 ₸3,502
$9.76 IQD 14.7K
-20.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 ₸296
$1.66 IQD 2,509
-60.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.25 IQD 1,896
-
🚌 Getting Around
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₸105
$0.52 IQD 786
-55.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.74 IQD 29.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.65 ₸295
$1.92 IQD 2,904
-66.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.96 IQD 2,961
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 ₸2,481
$4.48 IQD 6,774
22.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.62 ₸282
$0.57 IQD 865
8.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$17.6K IQD 26.6M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K ₸13.8M
$17.0K IQD 25.6M
79.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.8 ₸38.0K
$85.2 IQD 128.7K
-1.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.66 ₸3,930
$10.12 IQD 15.3K
-14.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.61 ₸6,627
$24.03 IQD 36.3K
-39.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.5 ₸25.2K
$33.78 IQD 51.0K
64.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.92 IQD 27.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.41 ₸1,546
$6.56 IQD 9,916
-48.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$153 IQD 231.1K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$2,546 IQD 3.8M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.17 ₸15.0K
$16.75 IQD 25.3K
98.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$22.28 IQD 33.7K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$36.83 IQD 55.7K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$33.01 IQD 49.9K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$281 ₸127.2K
$187 IQD 282.6K
50.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$213 ₸96.8K
$147 IQD 221.9K
45.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$449 ₸203.8K
$419 IQD 632.8K
7.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 ₸143.6K
$314 IQD 474.4K
0.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$695 IQD 1.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$548 IQD 828.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oral
Sulaymaniyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$439 ₸199.4K
$501 IQD 757.3K
-12.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.77
-

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

Last update for Oral: October 24, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$164
Accommodation & Living
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$119
Eating Out
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$104
Clothing & Footwear
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$49
Sport & Entertainment
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$47
Getting Around
Oral
–
Sulaymaniyah
$34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Oral versus $187 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 14% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Oral versus $20 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $164 – making Sulaymaniyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Oral
🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah
🕒 Local time
07:01 7:01 AM
05:01 5:01 AM
2 h behind Oral
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
256,960
823,199
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oral Sulaymaniyah 1,810 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Oral
  • Sulaymaniyah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Oral vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sulaymaniyah cheaper than Oral?
Yes – Oral is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,084 per month in Oral and $994 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sulaymaniyah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $187 there versus $281 in Oral.
How do food prices compare in Oral and in Sulaymaniyah?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Oral, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Oral or in Sulaymaniyah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Oral and $20 in Sulaymaniyah. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Oral or Sulaymaniyah?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $723 in Oral and $663 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is safer, Oral or Sulaymaniyah?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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