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: $754 in Sulaymaniyah versus $893 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,334 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,774 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 16% less than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Al-musayyib 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 IQD 7,116

$5.24 IQD 6,867

3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

-27.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,958

$7.55 IQD 9,883

-9.40%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$3.00 IQD 3,928

-11.67%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.37 IQD 483

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 280

$0.21 IQD 270

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 IQD 2,796

$3.45 IQD 4,520

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,395

$2.86 IQD 3,742

-9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,940

$1.13 IQD 1,479

30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,278

$0.84 IQD 1,096

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.57 IQD 2,059

5.10%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,254

$1.50 IQD 1,967

14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 IQD 7,697

$4.39 IQD 5,742

33.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 IQD 4,702

$3.94 IQD 5,163

-8.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

$11.34 IQD 14.9K

24.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,616

$1.12 IQD 1,469

9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 IQD 1,626

$1.13 IQD 1,477

9.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,725

$1.00 IQD 1,313

32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$0.56 IQD 731

26.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 877

$0.59 IQD 777

13.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.54 IQD 709

25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 716

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 633

$0.37 IQD 481

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,441

$2.07 IQD 2,710

-10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.76 IQD 2,302

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,390

$2.16 IQD 2,826

-15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 730

$0.40 IQD 519

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-26.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,086

$3.76 IQD 4,918

-37.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 IQD 3,010

$1.54 IQD 2,012

49.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 IQD 7,163

$7.47 IQD 9,779

-26.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 IQD 951

$0.57 IQD 746

28.07%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

3.27%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$19.5K IQD 25.6M

7.01%

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

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

$179 IQD 234.4K

-57.17%

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

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-34.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

$39.85 IQD 52.2K

-32.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

$36.77 IQD 48.1K

7.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$16.96 IQD 22.2K

0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,791

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-3.98%

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

$151 IQD 197.1K

$166 IQD 217.5K

-9.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

-0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

$28.04 IQD 36.7K

-15.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-17.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

$63.7 IQD 83.5K

-31.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 305.9K

$244 IQD 319.5K

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.5K

$178 IQD 232.6K

-0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.3K

$585 IQD 765.6K

-2.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 443.0K

$339 IQD 444.0K

-0.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$803 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$582 IQD 762.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.3K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Sulaymaniyah and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27 in Sulaymaniyah vs $37 in Al-musayyib. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $168, 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 19% in total monthly costs ($754 vs $893 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,131 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,340 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: $234 in Sulaymaniyah versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $151 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 10% 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 19% less than in Al-musayyib. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.