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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $753 per month in Oral vs $761 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,156 per month in Oral vs $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Oral vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Oral is about 1% cheaper than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 ₸3,504

$5.42 IQD 7,098

36.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.68 ₸14.5K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

15.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₸3,549

$6.84 IQD 8,953

9.50%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₸803

$2.65 IQD 3,468

-36.23%

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

$0.91 ₸433

$0.39 IQD 515

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₸244

$0.20 IQD 256

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 ₸381

$2.05 IQD 2,681

-60.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₸813

$2.69 IQD 3,529

-36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₸589

$1.46 IQD 1,913

-15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₸176

$0.99 IQD 1,295

-62.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 ₸686

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-9.94%

Eggs

$1.29 ₸611

$1.71 IQD 2,244

-24.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ₸3,647

$6.05 IQD 7,920

27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₸1,841

$3.53 IQD 4,617

9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 ₸4,541

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

-33.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 ₸525

$1.17 IQD 1,527

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₸869

$1.23 IQD 1,615

48.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₸961

$1.28 IQD 1,671

58.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 ₸1,364

$0.75 IQD 985

284.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₸179

$0.67 IQD 871

-43.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 ₸137

$0.65 IQD 845

-55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₸296

$0.55 IQD 715

12.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₸481

$0.45 IQD 586

124.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 ₸854

$1.94 IQD 2,543

-7.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ₸3,406

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

-37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₸275

$1.51 IQD 1,976

-61.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₸728

$1.73 IQD 2,269

-10.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸99.6

$0.55 IQD 724

-61.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₸269

$2.27 IQD 2,966

-74.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₸320

$2.28 IQD 2,986

-70.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 ₸2,218

$5.21 IQD 6,828

-10.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸219

$0.75 IQD 985

-38.67%

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

$20.5K ₸9.7M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-1.26%

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

$24.9K ₸11.8M

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

17.72%

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

$73.4 ₸34.8K

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

-5.20%

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

$7.92 ₸3,755

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

-52.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.76 ₸6,049

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

-52.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 ₸31.9K

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

74.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 ₸1,399

$7.48 IQD 9,799

-60.56%

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

$212 ₸100.4K

$150 IQD 196.2K

41.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,864 ₸2.3M

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

37.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.54 ₸14.0K

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

26.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 ₸16.7K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

41.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 ₸42.4K

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

105.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 ₸37.3K

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

116.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₸117.5K

$235 IQD 308.2K

5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₸90.1K

$180 IQD 236.2K

5.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₸186.5K

$568 IQD 744.4K

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₸127.5K

$340 IQD 445.3K

-20.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$415 ₸196.6K

$570 IQD 746.9K

-27.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

104.33%

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

Last update for Oral: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Oral versus $235 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 38% 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 $31.00 in Oral versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $174 in Oral vs $184 in Sulaymaniyah – so Oral 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

Oral vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,130 per month in Oral and $1,142 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Oral and $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Sulaymaniyah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $753 in Oral and $761 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.