Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $677 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $997 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,317 in An Najaf, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 10% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sulaymaniyah and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, An Najaf 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$4.01 IQD 5,251

32.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$23.23 IQD 30.4K

16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$4.82 IQD 6,311

43.15%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$2.67 IQD 3,500

-4.12%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.36 IQD 476

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.18 IQD 233

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$3.41 IQD 4,462

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.93 IQD 3,840

-9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.38 IQD 1,804

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.78 IQD 1,021

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.57 IQD 2,058

5.73%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.72 IQD 2,258

2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$2.38 IQD 3,121

143.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$4.80 IQD 6,281

-28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$10.53 IQD 13.8K

35.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.27 IQD 1,658

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.16 IQD 1,513

7.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$1.06 IQD 1,387

18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.74 IQD 963

-5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.69 IQD 905

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.68 IQD 889

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.62 IQD 806

-12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.37 IQD 479

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$1.49 IQD 1,951

26.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

-14.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.84 IQD 2,404

-14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.08 IQD 2,719

-16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.40 IQD 522

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

-34.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$1.92 IQD 2,515

17.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.48 IQD 1,939

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$4.89 IQD 6,398

9.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.48 IQD 632

56.25%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

78.60%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

5.07%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$59.8 IQD 78.3K

27.07%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$22.94 IQD 30.0K

-28.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$34.50 IQD 45.2K

-24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$15.05 IQD 19.7K

12.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

2.35%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$165 IQD 216.6K

-7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$917 IQD 1.2M

285.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$16.27 IQD 21.3K

48.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

-1.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$64.7 IQD 84.8K

-33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$42.71 IQD 55.9K

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$238 IQD 311.7K

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$132 IQD 173.4K

36.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$383 IQD 501.1K

48.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$151 IQD 198.2K

127.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$1,276 IQD 1.7M

-36.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

$480 IQD 628.7K

22.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$752 IQD 984.2K

-25.27%

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 An Najaf: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $238 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $170 – making An Najaf 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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah costs about 10% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,016 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $677 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $677 in An Najaf, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – 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 An Najaf. 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.