Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $671 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,086 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,501 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 11% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Al-'amarah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$4.02 IQD 5,267

32.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

8.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-1.71%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$2.60 IQD 3,401

-1.54%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.40 IQD 521

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.19 IQD 255

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$2.85 IQD 3,736

-28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.89 IQD 3,779

-8.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.81 IQD 2,364

-21.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.79 IQD 1,030

24.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.12 IQD 1,462

48.21%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.55 IQD 2,027

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$4.54 IQD 5,951

27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$4.64 IQD 6,074

-25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.91 IQD 1,197

35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.08 IQD 1,416

15.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$0.87 IQD 1,136

44.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.39 IQD 514

79.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.76 IQD 989

-17.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.35 IQD 452

82.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.63 IQD 827

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.47 IQD 617

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$1.97 IQD 2,573

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.79 IQD 2,341

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.11 IQD 2,769

-17.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.37 IQD 484

48.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

-27.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$1.67 IQD 2,188

34.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.48 IQD 1,936

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$6.10 IQD 7,988

-11.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.31 IQD 404

141.94%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

6.78%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

1.72%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

-0.18%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

-8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

-23.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

74.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

-0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

1.68%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$154 IQD 201.2K

0.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

8.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

-12.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

-30.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

-12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$331 IQD 434.1K

-28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$132 IQD 173.3K

36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$441 IQD 578.0K

28.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$346 IQD 452.8K

-0.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$581 IQD 760.9K

38.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$506 IQD 663.1K

10.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

58.73%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $331 in Al-'amarah. 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 11% 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sulaymaniyah vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,006 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Sulaymaniyah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $671 in Al-'amarah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – 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 Al-'amarah. 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.