Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al Kufah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah: $663 a month against $703 in Al Kufah, rent and utilities included – about $480 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Al Kufah outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

32

Cost of Living Index in Sulaymaniyah
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Sulaymaniyah Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Al Kufah
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Al Kufah Living Index

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Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$663

/mo nomad

Al Kufah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$703

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sulaymaniyah and in Al Kufah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sulaymaniyah and in Al Kufah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $663 in Sulaymaniyah versus $703 in Al Kufah.

Sulaymaniyah $663
Al Kufah $703

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,034 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,050 in Al Kufah.

Sulaymaniyah $1,034
Al Kufah $1,050

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,406 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,397 in Al Kufah.

Sulaymaniyah $1,406
Al Kufah $1,397

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 6% less than in Al Kufah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 51% lower, Al Kufah 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 IQD 6,363

$4.74 IQD 7,162

-11.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 IQD 29.8K

$25.90 IQD 39.1K

-23.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 IQD 8,916

$6.63 IQD 10.0K

-11.01%

Cappuccino

$2.45 IQD 3,702

$2.82 IQD 4,258

-13.12%

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

$0.43 IQD 650

$0.38 IQD 579

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 IQD 4,873

$3.21 IQD 4,844

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 3,080

$3.24 IQD 4,897

-37.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,677

$0.96 IQD 1,451

15.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 IQD 1,339

$0.69 IQD 1,041

28.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,516

$1.32 IQD 1,989

25.76%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,345

$1.70 IQD 2,574

-8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 IQD 6,509

$2.02 IQD 3,046

113.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 IQD 5,536

$3.99 IQD 6,032

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 IQD 20.1K

$7.85 IQD 11.9K

69.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,680

$0.63 IQD 954

76.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,646

$0.96 IQD 1,449

13.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,579

$0.56 IQD 848

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 843

$0.49 IQD 736

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 740

$0.43 IQD 650

13.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 957

$0.33 IQD 499

90.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 883

$0.19 IQD 284

205.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 685

$0.51 IQD 776

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 IQD 3,049

$1.53 IQD 2,319

32.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 IQD 14.7K

$11.59 IQD 17.5K

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 IQD 2,509

$2.00 IQD 3,017

-17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 IQD 1,896

$1.97 IQD 2,972

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 IQD 786

$0.32 IQD 480

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 IQD 29.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 IQD 2,904

$1.95 IQD 2,954

-1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 IQD 2,961

$1.34 IQD 2,031

46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 IQD 6,774

$6.52 IQD 9,849

-31.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 865

$0.49 IQD 733

16.33%

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

$17.6K IQD 26.6M

$16.6K IQD 25.0M

6.17%

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

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

0.95%

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

$85.2 IQD 128.7K

$188 IQD 283.3K

-54.58%

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

$10.12 IQD 15.3K

$19.15 IQD 28.9K

-47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 IQD 36.3K

$19.76 IQD 29.9K

21.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.78 IQD 51.0K

$15.05 IQD 22.7K

124.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.92 IQD 27.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 IQD 9,916

$9.64 IQD 14.6K

-31.95%

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

$153 IQD 231.1K

$69.3 IQD 104.8K

120.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 IQD 3.8M

$2,161 IQD 3.3M

17.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.75 IQD 25.3K

$10.13 IQD 15.3K

65.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.28 IQD 33.7K

$29.46 IQD 44.5K

-24.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.83 IQD 55.7K

$20.07 IQD 30.3K

83.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.01 IQD 49.9K

$34.57 IQD 52.2K

-4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 IQD 282.6K

$208 IQD 313.5K

-9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 IQD 221.9K

$135 IQD 204.6K

8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 IQD 632.8K

$371 IQD 561.3K

12.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 IQD 474.4K

$309 IQD 466.6K

1.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$695 IQD 1.1M

$1,244 IQD 1.9M

-44.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$548 IQD 828.2K

$495 IQD 748.2K

10.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 IQD 757.3K

$902 IQD 1.4M

-44.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

4.12

40.05%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 25, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Sulaymaniyah

$164 24.7%

Al Kufah

$138 19.6% 15.9% $26

Accommodation & Living

Sulaymaniyah

$147 22.2%

Al Kufah

$135 19.3% 7.8% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sulaymaniyah

$119 18%

Al Kufah

$226 32.2% 89.8% $107

Eating Out

Sulaymaniyah

$104 15.6%

Al Kufah

$116 16.6% 12.5% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Sulaymaniyah

$49 7.4%

Al Kufah

$42 6% 13.4% $6.6

Sport & Entertainment

Sulaymaniyah

$47 7.1%

Al Kufah

$34 4.9% 26.8% $13

Getting Around

Sulaymaniyah

$34 5.1%

Al Kufah

$10 * 1.4% 70.3% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Sulaymaniyah and $208 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 80% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $20 in Sulaymaniyah vs $26 in Al Kufah. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $138, with Al Kufah cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Al Kufah

🕒 Local time

00:38 12:38 AM

Same time as Sulaymaniyah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

823,199

230,000

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sulaymaniyah Al Kufah 400 km

From you

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $187 in Sulaymaniyah versus $208 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Al Kufah pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $663 per month in Sulaymaniyah versus $703 in Al Kufah – Sulaymaniyah is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Sulaymaniyah wins on affordability, Al Kufah on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.