Cost of Living Comparison Between Oral and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Oral and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $739 per month in Oral vs $780 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,107 per month in Oral vs $1,178 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Oral vs $1,576 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Oral is about 5% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Oral and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Oral 46% lower, Sulaymaniyah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 ₸3,835

$4.50 IQD 5,898

90.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.83 ₸15.6K

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

49.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 ₸3,849

$7.07 IQD 9,261

21.50%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ₸861

$2.43 IQD 3,183

-20.99%

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

$1.02 ₸458

$0.45 IQD 593

126.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸285

$0.21 IQD 274

204.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₸384

$4.70 IQD 6,159

-81.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₸876

$2.33 IQD 3,048

-15.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₸663

$1.33 IQD 1,740

11.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₸208

$0.98 IQD 1,283

-53.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ₸763

$1.91 IQD 2,507

-10.99%

Eggs

$1.54 ₸689

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 ₸4,046

$4.95 IQD 6,477

82.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₸1,969

$3.55 IQD 4,645

23.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 ₸4,945

$15.75 IQD 20.6K

-29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 ₸562

$1.32 IQD 1,723

-5.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ₸903

$1.30 IQD 1,701

54.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₸1,031

$1.15 IQD 1,500

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 ₸1,542

$0.70 IQD 911

391.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 ₸193

$0.55 IQD 721

-21.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 ₸158

$0.69 IQD 901

-49.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₸302

$0.68 IQD 890

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₸492

$0.53 IQD 689

107.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₸979

$2.46 IQD 3,218

-11.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₸3,477

$11.60 IQD 15.2K

-33.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₸290

$1.87 IQD 2,450

-65.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 IQD 2,232

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸93.8

$0.55 IQD 725

-61.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.88 IQD 30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₸306

$2.33 IQD 3,045

-70.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,936

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 ₸2,436

$5.47 IQD 7,168

-0.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 ₸268

$0.72 IQD 944

-16.67%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

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

$30.8K ₸13.8M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

61.71%

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

$83.9 ₸37.6K

$101 IQD 131.6K

-16.50%

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

$8.80 ₸3,947

$10.98 IQD 14.4K

-19.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.70 ₸6,591

$28.50 IQD 37.3K

-48.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₸24.9K

$35.99 IQD 47.1K

54.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.18 IQD 26.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 ₸1,474

$7.54 IQD 9,871

-56.37%

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

$176 IQD 231.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,879 IQD 3.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.89 ₸15.2K

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

74.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.44 IQD 33.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.51 IQD 55.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.09 IQD 49.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ₸125.6K

$226 IQD 296.1K

23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 ₸95.0K

$173 IQD 226.6K

22.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₸203.4K

$506 IQD 662.0K

-10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₸139.9K

$363 IQD 474.9K

-13.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$831 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 ₸194.0K

$580 IQD 759.1K

-25.35%

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 Oral: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Oral versus $226 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 34% 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 $35.00 in Oral versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 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

Oral vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,109 per month in Oral and $1,171 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oral, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Sulaymaniyah – 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 $35.00 in Oral and $23.00 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 $739 in Oral and $780 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Oral – 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 Oral. 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.