Cost of Living Comparison Between Sinjar and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sinjar and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Sinjar versus $761 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Sinjar versus $1,182 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,848 in Sinjar versus $1,603 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Sinjar is roughly 13% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sinjar 36% lower, Sulaymaniyah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$5.25 IQD 6,866

48.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.81 IQD 29.8K

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

-15.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

$7.08 IQD 9,257

26.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 IQD 4,089

$2.66 IQD 3,481

17.67%

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

$0.52 IQD 682

$0.39 IQD 512

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 261

$0.16 IQD 216

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 IQD 2,502

$2.05 IQD 2,687

-6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IQD 2,768

$2.59 IQD 3,394

-18.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,728

$1.48 IQD 1,931

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,099

$1.02 IQD 1,329

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 IQD 2,479

$1.66 IQD 2,170

14.46%

Eggs

$1.91 IQD 2,496

$1.73 IQD 2,260

10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 IQD 9,413

$5.99 IQD 7,838

20.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,280

$3.44 IQD 4,501

39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 IQD 18.5K

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$1.18 IQD 1,543

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,517

$1.25 IQD 1,633

-7.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,553

$1.28 IQD 1,674

-7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,060

$0.73 IQD 960

10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$0.67 IQD 873

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 908

$0.64 IQD 839

7.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,024

$0.59 IQD 771

32.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 732

$0.48 IQD 630

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 IQD 3,481

$1.88 IQD 2,458

41.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 IQD 10.2K

$11.35 IQD 14.8K

-30.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,820

$1.58 IQD 2,067

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,619

$1.75 IQD 2,284

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.56 IQD 731

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 IQD 40.6K

$23.10 IQD 30.2K

34.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 IQD 3,097

$2.33 IQD 3,050

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,042

$2.33 IQD 3,051

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 IQD 8,756

$5.39 IQD 7,044

24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 851

$0.75 IQD 983

-13.33%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$21.1K IQD 27.5M

-8.81%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

-3.53%

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

$98.9 IQD 129.4K

$78.8 IQD 103.1K

25.53%

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

$17.70 IQD 23.1K

$16.77 IQD 21.9K

5.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.29 IQD 39.6K

$26.39 IQD 34.5K

14.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 IQD 48.1K

$39.02 IQD 51.0K

-5.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 IQD 15.0K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

46.61%

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

$268 IQD 350.7K

$154 IQD 201.5K

74.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,315 IQD 4.3M

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

-5.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.21 IQD 43.4K

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 IQD 63.3K

$25.55 IQD 33.4K

89.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 IQD 106.2K

$44.24 IQD 57.9K

83.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 IQD 99.5K

$36.79 IQD 48.1K

106.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 313.8K

$235 IQD 307.4K

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.3K

$181 IQD 237.0K

0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 IQD 771.7K

$569 IQD 744.9K

3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 445.6K

$344 IQD 450.2K

-1.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$584 IQD 764.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$226 IQD 295.1K

$580 IQD 758.5K

-61.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-37.00%

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

Last update for Sinjar: July 22, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sinjar and $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Sinjar vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $183, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Sinjar vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sinjar and Sulaymaniyah differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $761 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Sulaymaniyah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $240 in Sinjar versus $235 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $268 in Sinjar versus $154 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Sinjar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sulaymaniyah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sinjar and Sulaymaniyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Sinjar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.