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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $878 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,356 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,834 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 15% less than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Al-musayyib 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$5.26 IQD 6,889

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

-26.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.51 IQD 9,828

-8.12%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$3.11 IQD 4,077

-17.68%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.36 IQD 475

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.20 IQD 263

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$3.45 IQD 4,518

-40.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.94 IQD 3,856

-10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.14 IQD 1,490

24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.83 IQD 1,093

18.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.57 IQD 2,061

5.73%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.57 IQD 2,059

12.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$4.60 IQD 6,023

26.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$3.87 IQD 5,071

-11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.14 IQD 1,486

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.12 IQD 1,461

11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$1.05 IQD 1,370

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.58 IQD 760

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.64 IQD 838

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.59 IQD 769

8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.60 IQD 784

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.37 IQD 480

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$2.13 IQD 2,786

-11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.78 IQD 2,326

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.10 IQD 2,747

-17.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.39 IQD 516

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

-26.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$3.90 IQD 5,103

-42.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.48 IQD 1,933

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$7.57 IQD 9,907

-29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.53 IQD 699

41.51%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

4.86%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

3.12%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$179 IQD 234.1K

-57.52%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

-38.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

-35.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

6.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

2.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.51 IQD 9,840

4.53%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$166 IQD 217.7K

-7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

-1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

-14.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

-18.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

-32.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

-17.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$244 IQD 319.6K

-2.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$176 IQD 229.9K

3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$575 IQD 752.9K

-1.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$341 IQD 446.8K

0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

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-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $37.00 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $170, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Al-musayyib differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $878 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,116 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,317 in Al-musayyib 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 $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $166 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-musayyib pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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-musayyib 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 18% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.