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 $761 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $674 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,176 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,091 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,508 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 13% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 IQD 7,098

$3.98 IQD 5,211

36.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$24.68 IQD 32.3K

8.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,953

$7.02 IQD 9,188

-2.56%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$2.58 IQD 3,374

2.71%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.40 IQD 519

-2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.21 IQD 274

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,681

$2.99 IQD 3,917

-31.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 IQD 3,529

$2.82 IQD 3,693

-4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 IQD 1,913

$1.81 IQD 2,374

-19.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$0.79 IQD 1,029

25.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,105

$1.08 IQD 1,408

49.07%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.51 IQD 1,977

13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$4.58 IQD 5,995

32.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 4,617

$4.64 IQD 6,071

-23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

11.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$0.87 IQD 1,136

34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.10 IQD 1,442

11.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,671

$0.91 IQD 1,189

40.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.36 IQD 477

108.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.75 IQD 987

-10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.34 IQD 451

91.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.68 IQD 893

-19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$0.43 IQD 564

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$1.97 IQD 2,575

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.86 IQD 2,432

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,269

$2.14 IQD 2,803

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.40 IQD 521

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

$30.59 IQD 40.1K

-26.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,966

$1.61 IQD 2,105

40.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 IQD 2,986

$1.53 IQD 2,007

49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 IQD 6,828

$5.83 IQD 7,633

-10.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.31 IQD 399

141.94%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

10.46%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

5.32%

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

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

$76.2 IQD 99.7K

1.72%

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

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

-5.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

$34.10 IQD 44.6K

-21.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

70.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

$16.61 IQD 21.7K

0.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$7.46 IQD 9,772

0.27%

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

$150 IQD 196.2K

$152 IQD 198.4K

-1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

10.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

-13.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$25.67 IQD 33.6K

-2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

-27.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$41.26 IQD 54.0K

-12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 308.2K

$322 IQD 421.1K

-26.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.2K

$134 IQD 175.5K

34.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 IQD 744.4K

$447 IQD 585.4K

27.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.3K

$347 IQD 454.1K

-1.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

$564 IQD 738.9K

45.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

$506 IQD 662.0K

12.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $322 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 13% 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: $184 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 13%, 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 $1,142 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,010 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 20% 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 $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $674 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.