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 $761 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $680 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,176 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $999 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,319 in An Najaf, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 12% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sulaymaniyah and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, An Najaf 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 IQD 7,098

$4.00 IQD 5,232

35.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$22.74 IQD 29.8K

17.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,953

$4.71 IQD 6,173

45.22%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$2.76 IQD 3,617

-3.99%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.36 IQD 478

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.20 IQD 268

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,681

$3.45 IQD 4,521

-40.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 IQD 3,529

$2.92 IQD 3,828

-7.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 IQD 1,913

$1.32 IQD 1,732

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$0.82 IQD 1,077

20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,105

$1.64 IQD 2,153

-1.83%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.74 IQD 2,276

-1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$2.37 IQD 3,110

155.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 4,617

$4.99 IQD 6,536

-29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

$10.52 IQD 13.8K

37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.23 IQD 1,605

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.20 IQD 1,573

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,671

$1.06 IQD 1,388

20.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.73 IQD 962

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.65 IQD 855

3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.67 IQD 883

-2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.65 IQD 846

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$0.39 IQD 514

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$1.51 IQD 1,983

28.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

$13.38 IQD 17.5K

-13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.79 IQD 2,338

-15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,269

$2.09 IQD 2,733

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.36 IQD 475

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

$33.79 IQD 44.3K

-33.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,966

$1.96 IQD 2,561

15.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 IQD 2,986

$1.53 IQD 1,999

49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 IQD 6,828

$5.12 IQD 6,706

1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.47 IQD 619

59.57%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$11.3K IQD 14.8M

83.46%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

4.61%

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

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

28.86%

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

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

-28.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

$34.30 IQD 44.9K

-22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

$29.48 IQD 38.6K

30.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

11.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$7.43 IQD 9,726

0.67%

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

$150 IQD 196.2K

$169 IQD 221.0K

-11.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

$929 IQD 1.2M

282.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

$16.63 IQD 21.8K

40.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$25.08 IQD 32.8K

-0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

-32.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$43.02 IQD 56.3K

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 308.2K

$238 IQD 311.3K

-0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.2K

$135 IQD 176.3K

33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 IQD 744.4K

$378 IQD 495.3K

50.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.3K

$156 IQD 204.3K

118.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

$1,242 IQD 1.6M

-33.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

$495 IQD 648.3K

16.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

$734 IQD 961.5K

-22.31%

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 27, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 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 29% 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: $184 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 12% 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 $1,142 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,019 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 $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $680 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $680 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.