Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al Kut Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al Kut

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $734 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,139 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,544 in Al Kut, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 1% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Al Kut 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$3.99 IQD 5,220

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$24.40 IQD 32.0K

10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.00 IQD 9,169

-1.43%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$2.63 IQD 3,448

-2.66%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.37 IQD 484

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.20 IQD 259

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$2.93 IQD 3,838

-30.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.93 IQD 3,831

-9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.37 IQD 1,800

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.78 IQD 1,025

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.56 IQD 2,038

6.41%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.58 IQD 2,071

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$4.38 IQD 5,733

32.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$3.48 IQD 4,561

-1.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.86 IQD 1,133

43.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.00 IQD 1,309

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$0.87 IQD 1,136

44.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.69 IQD 898

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.64 IQD 838

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.64 IQD 835

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.62 IQD 818

-12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.53 IQD 693

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$1.86 IQD 2,432

1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.83 IQD 2,403

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.08 IQD 2,726

-16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.36 IQD 473

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$31.30 IQD 41.0K

-26.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$2.36 IQD 3,093

-4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.53 IQD 2,000

46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$6.08 IQD 7,963

-11.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.54 IQD 704

38.89%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

6.31%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

3.89%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$75.8 IQD 99.2K

0.24%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

-8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

-25.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

2.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.53 IQD 9,859

4.25%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$150 IQD 196.5K

2.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,222 IQD 4.2M

9.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$26.59 IQD 34.8K

-9.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

-30.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$41.02 IQD 53.7K

-12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$246 IQD 321.5K

-3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$179 IQD 234.8K

0.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$576 IQD 753.7K

-1.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$344 IQD 450.2K

0.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$996 IQD 1.3M

-19.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

$497 IQD 650.9K

18.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

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 Kut: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $246 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $24.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $146 – making Al Kut 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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $744 in Sulaymaniyah, $734 in Al Kut – roughly 1% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,101 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $24.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $734 in Al Kut, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kut – 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 Kut. 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.