Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al-miqdadiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Al-miqdadiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Sulaymaniyah versus $896 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,348 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,800 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 17% less than in Al-miqdadiyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Al-miqdadiyah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,969

$7.55 IQD 9,882

-29.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$23.17 IQD 30.3K

15.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,272

$9.02 IQD 11.8K

-21.51%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$3.25 IQD 4,259

-18.46%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.49 IQD 636

-24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.20 IQD 262

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$1.95 IQD 2,551

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,570

$2.06 IQD 2,701

32.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.32 IQD 1,730

7.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$0.87 IQD 1,135

18.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,094

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-11.11%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,325

$1.88 IQD 2,466

-5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$7.48 IQD 9,794

-22.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 IQD 4,533

$4.61 IQD 6,032

-24.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$14.03 IQD 18.4K

0.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$1.19 IQD 1,553

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,691

$1.19 IQD 1,556

8.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$1.19 IQD 1,554

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 923

$0.80 IQD 1,052

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 808

$0.71 IQD 929

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.69 IQD 909

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.72 IQD 939

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.53 IQD 690

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,481

$2.72 IQD 3,568

-30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$12.30 IQD 16.1K

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,971

$1.43 IQD 1,867

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,287

$2.03 IQD 2,655

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.36 IQD 475

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

$31.57 IQD 41.3K

-26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,087

$2.25 IQD 2,952

4.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$2.26 IQD 2,959

3.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 IQD 7,082

$6.93 IQD 9,081

-21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 943

$0.68 IQD 891

5.88%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

7.70%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

2.38%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$102 IQD 134.1K

-25.77%

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

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

-5.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$29.34 IQD 38.4K

-10.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

$37.27 IQD 48.8K

3.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

-0.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

-31.93%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$264 IQD 345.2K

-41.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

$3,234 IQD 4.2M

7.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

-27.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

-49.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

-45.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

-52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$241 IQD 315.8K

-1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$180 IQD 235.3K

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.3K

$591 IQD 773.7K

-1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.6K

$344 IQD 451.1K

0.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-miqdadiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $241 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $23.00 in Al-miqdadiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $194, 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

Sulaymaniyah vs Al-miqdadiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Al-miqdadiyah differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($747 vs $896 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,121 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,344 in Al-miqdadiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $241 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $155 in Sulaymaniyah versus $264 in Al-miqdadiyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Al-miqdadiyah. 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, Sulaymaniyah and Al-miqdadiyah 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 20% less than in Al-miqdadiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.