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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $767 per month in Oral vs $744 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,155 per month in Oral vs $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Oral vs $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Oral costs about 3% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Oral and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Oral 43% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 ₸3,552

$5.32 IQD 6,971

36.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.07 ₸14.7K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

11.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 ₸3,574

$6.90 IQD 9,040

6.09%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₸800

$2.56 IQD 3,349

-35.94%

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

$0.85 ₸416

$0.37 IQD 482

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₸251

$0.21 IQD 277

142.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ₸393

$2.05 IQD 2,683

-60.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₸845

$2.64 IQD 3,454

-34.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ₸634

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₸197

$0.98 IQD 1,277

-59.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 ₸705

$1.66 IQD 2,172

-13.25%

Eggs

$1.35 ₸659

$1.76 IQD 2,299

-23.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 ₸3,772

$5.80 IQD 7,598

33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₸1,861

$3.44 IQD 4,501

10.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 ₸4,806

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-31.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 ₸518

$1.23 IQD 1,607

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₸877

$1.25 IQD 1,634

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₸989

$1.26 IQD 1,645

61.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 ₸1,437

$0.70 IQD 921

320.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 ₸183

$0.63 IQD 821

-41.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 ₸152

$0.64 IQD 844

-51.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₸306

$0.54 IQD 711

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₸494

$0.45 IQD 591

124.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 ₸918

$1.89 IQD 2,470

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 ₸3,460

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

-39.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₸283

$1.58 IQD 2,072

-63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₸778

$1.74 IQD 2,272

-8.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₸106

$0.55 IQD 724

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₸296

$2.25 IQD 2,949

-72.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸310

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 ₸2,239

$5.37 IQD 7,033

-14.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 ₸244

$0.75 IQD 985

-33.33%

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

$20.1K ₸9.8M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-3.12%

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

$24.6K ₸12.0M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

19.25%

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

$72.6 ₸35.5K

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

-4.35%

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

$8.00 ₸3,906

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

-51.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.60 ₸6,153

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

-51.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ₸33.8K

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

74.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 ₸1,440

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-62.42%

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

$209 ₸101.9K

$154 IQD 201.3K

35.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,870 ₸2.4M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

37.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.20 ₸14.3K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

20.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 ₸17.0K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₸43.9K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

109.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 ₸37.5K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

114.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₸123.1K

$237 IQD 310.3K

6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ₸90.8K

$181 IQD 236.9K

2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₸196.4K

$569 IQD 744.6K

-29.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₸133.3K

$344 IQD 450.5K

-20.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 ₸194.3K

$562 IQD 735.6K

-29.19%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Oral versus $237 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 41% 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 $30.00 in Oral versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Oral vs $183 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 – Oral is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,151 per month in Oral and $1,116 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sulaymaniyah, 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 $30.00 in Oral and $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Oral – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $767 in Oral and $744 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – 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 Sulaymaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oral makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.