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: $875 in Sinjar versus $744 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in Sinjar versus $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Sinjar versus $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Sinjar is roughly 18% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sinjar 35% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.63 IQD 9,980

$5.32 IQD 6,963

43.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.24 IQD 30.4K

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

-14.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 IQD 11.2K

$6.90 IQD 9,030

24.49%

Cappuccino

$3.15 IQD 4,120

$2.56 IQD 3,345

23.05%

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

$0.52 IQD 680

$0.37 IQD 481

40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.21 IQD 277

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 IQD 2,516

$2.05 IQD 2,680

-6.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,798

$2.64 IQD 3,450

-18.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.42 IQD 1,860

-7.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 IQD 1,131

$0.98 IQD 1,276

-12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 IQD 2,340

$1.66 IQD 2,170

7.83%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,584

$1.76 IQD 2,296

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 IQD 9,791

$5.80 IQD 7,589

29.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 IQD 6,103

$3.44 IQD 4,496

35.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 IQD 18.7K

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,545

$1.23 IQD 1,605

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,486

$1.25 IQD 1,633

-8.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$1.26 IQD 1,643

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,005

$0.70 IQD 920

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 935

$0.63 IQD 820

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 915

$0.64 IQD 843

9.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$0.54 IQD 710

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 739

$0.45 IQD 590

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,544

$1.89 IQD 2,467

43.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

-33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,864

$1.58 IQD 2,069

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,615

$1.74 IQD 2,270

14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.55 IQD 723

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

37.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 IQD 3,098

$2.25 IQD 2,945

5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,896

$2.24 IQD 2,925

-1.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 IQD 9,156

$5.37 IQD 7,025

30.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 IQD 904

$0.75 IQD 984

-8.00%

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

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-6.74%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

0.89%

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

$103 IQD 134.1K

$75.9 IQD 99.3K

35.05%

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

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.28 IQD 39.6K

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

16.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.34 IQD 48.8K

$39.68 IQD 51.9K

-5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 IQD 22.1K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

-0.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

43.82%

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

$269 IQD 351.3K

$154 IQD 201.1K

74.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,305 IQD 4.3M

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

-6.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.90 IQD 43.0K

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 IQD 64.9K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

98.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 IQD 107.7K

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

91.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

114.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 314.4K

$237 IQD 309.9K

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.8K

$181 IQD 236.7K

-1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.5K

$569 IQD 743.8K

2.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 442.8K

$344 IQD 450.0K

-1.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 767.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 IQD 299.0K

$562 IQD 734.7K

-59.30%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sinjar and $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 146% 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 $187 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 18% in total monthly costs ($875 vs $744 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sulaymaniyah earns 146% 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 $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 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 18% less than in Sinjar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.