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: $752 in Sulaymaniyah versus $867 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,334 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,800 in Al-miqdadiyah.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 13% less than in Al-miqdadiyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Al-miqdadiyah 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 IQD 7,068

$7.74 IQD 10.1K

-30.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$23.30 IQD 30.5K

15.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$8.61 IQD 11.3K

-18.93%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 3,507

$3.15 IQD 4,123

-14.92%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.52 IQD 683

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.20 IQD 262

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$1.94 IQD 2,535

5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 IQD 3,492

$2.04 IQD 2,670

30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 IQD 1,948

$1.32 IQD 1,726

12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$0.80 IQD 1,046

28.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$1.80 IQD 2,362

-11.11%

Eggs

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$1.91 IQD 2,506

-11.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 IQD 7,586

$7.50 IQD 9,820

-22.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 IQD 4,492

$4.81 IQD 6,297

-28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$1.20 IQD 1,575

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,703

$1.14 IQD 1,497

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,651

$1.18 IQD 1,541

6.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 925

$0.81 IQD 1,057

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.72 IQD 948

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$0.71 IQD 932

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.72 IQD 942

-18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$0.52 IQD 682

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$2.70 IQD 3,535

-28.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$12.57 IQD 16.5K

-7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,992

$1.37 IQD 1,794

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,305

$2.03 IQD 2,655

-13.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.37 IQD 480

48.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$30.79 IQD 40.3K

-24.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,983

$2.24 IQD 2,937

1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$2.33 IQD 3,047

-1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,812

$7.08 IQD 9,270

-26.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 IQD 931

$0.69 IQD 899

2.90%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

11.13%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$20.9K IQD 27.3M

0.23%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$103 IQD 134.5K

-25.95%

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

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

$17.78 IQD 23.3K

-7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

$29.62 IQD 38.8K

-9.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

$36.50 IQD 47.8K

5.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

$16.77 IQD 22.0K

1.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,776

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

-35.77%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$269 IQD 352.6K

-42.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

$3,226 IQD 4.2M

7.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

$32.94 IQD 43.1K

-27.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$49.23 IQD 64.5K

-48.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

$83.8 IQD 109.7K

-47.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

$77.3 IQD 101.2K

-53.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 IQD 309.5K

$240 IQD 313.9K

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$182 IQD 238.1K

-2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.2K

$588 IQD 769.4K

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.5K

$346 IQD 452.7K

1.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 IQD 748.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 IQD 753.3K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-miqdadiyah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Sulaymaniyah and $240 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 $184 vs $195, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($752 vs $867 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,128 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,301 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: $236 in Sulaymaniyah versus $240 in Al-miqdadiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $269 in Al-miqdadiyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 15% less than in Al-miqdadiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.