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: $858 in Sinjar versus $754 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,324 in Sinjar versus $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Sinjar versus $1,561 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Sinjar is roughly 14% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sinjar 36% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$5.43 IQD 7,116

43.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-15.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

$6.84 IQD 8,958

31.73%

Cappuccino

$3.17 IQD 4,147

$2.65 IQD 3,471

19.62%

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

$0.52 IQD 683

$0.39 IQD 512

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.21 IQD 280

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.14 IQD 2,796

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,819

$2.59 IQD 3,395

-16.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 IQD 1,754

$1.48 IQD 1,940

-9.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$0.98 IQD 1,278

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 IQD 2,457

$1.65 IQD 2,166

13.94%

Eggs

$1.96 IQD 2,568

$1.72 IQD 2,254

13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 IQD 9,817

$5.88 IQD 7,697

27.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 IQD 6,237

$3.59 IQD 4,702

32.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,509

$1.23 IQD 1,616

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,567

$1.24 IQD 1,626

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$1.32 IQD 1,725

-10.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 991

$0.71 IQD 929

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 944

$0.67 IQD 877

7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 934

$0.68 IQD 894

4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 IQD 996

$0.55 IQD 716

38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.48 IQD 633

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,554

$1.86 IQD 2,441

45.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 IQD 9,746

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,868

$1.51 IQD 1,976

-5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,540

$1.83 IQD 2,390

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.56 IQD 730

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.77 IQD 40.3K

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

34.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,963

$2.36 IQD 3,086

-4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

$2.30 IQD 3,010

1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 IQD 8,771

$5.47 IQD 7,163

22.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 IQD 910

$0.73 IQD 951

-5.48%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-7.25%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

-0.93%

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

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

29.12%

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

$17.92 IQD 23.5K

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

7.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 IQD 38.5K

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.11 IQD 47.3K

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

-8.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-1.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

$7.48 IQD 9,791

52.81%

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

$272 IQD 356.0K

$151 IQD 197.1K

80.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,300 IQD 4.3M

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

-5.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.41 IQD 43.7K

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

40.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.81 IQD 63.9K

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

91.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

85.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 IQD 102.4K

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

117.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 314.5K

$234 IQD 305.9K

2.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 231.1K

$178 IQD 232.5K

-0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 IQD 766.7K

$573 IQD 750.3K

2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.0K

$338 IQD 443.0K

2.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$803 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$582 IQD 762.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$233 IQD 305.4K

$572 IQD 749.3K

-59.24%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sinjar and $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 145% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23 in Sinjar vs $27 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $184, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($858 vs $754 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sulaymaniyah earns 145% less. 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 $234 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $272 in Sinjar versus $151 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 14% less than in Sinjar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.