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 $750 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $675 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,012 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,581 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,349 in An Najaf, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 11% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sulaymaniyah and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, An Najaf 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,895

$4.00 IQD 5,236

31.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

17.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 IQD 9,182

$4.66 IQD 6,104

50.43%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,461

$2.74 IQD 3,595

-3.65%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.37 IQD 480

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.17 IQD 226

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,714

$3.54 IQD 4,639

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,550

$2.82 IQD 3,695

-3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$1.38 IQD 1,806

2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$0.84 IQD 1,102

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,109

$1.66 IQD 2,174

-3.01%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,329

$1.79 IQD 2,339

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 IQD 7,998

$2.30 IQD 3,008

165.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,667

$5.09 IQD 6,664

-30.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

30.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$1.27 IQD 1,662

-7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,694

$1.16 IQD 1,514

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.06 IQD 1,387

19.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 957

$0.74 IQD 971

-1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$0.65 IQD 850

-6.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.67 IQD 884

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.60 IQD 790

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.37 IQD 483

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,536

$1.49 IQD 1,946

30.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

-13.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,975

$1.76 IQD 2,307

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,367

$2.16 IQD 2,834

-16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.36 IQD 477

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

$34.31 IQD 45.0K

-32.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$1.93 IQD 2,531

22.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,053

$1.53 IQD 2,002

52.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 IQD 7,150

$4.87 IQD 6,382

12.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 IQD 1,006

$0.47 IQD 618

63.83%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

73.51%

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

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

2.32%

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

$76.6 IQD 100.4K

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

28.44%

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

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

-27.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

-22.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

32.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

12.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,788

$7.61 IQD 9,967

-1.84%

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

$151 IQD 198.4K

$166 IQD 217.4K

-8.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

$913 IQD 1.2M

282.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

-33.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

-14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 315.0K

$239 IQD 312.5K

0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.4K

$134 IQD 175.8K

30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 749.7K

$380 IQD 498.3K

50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.4K

$153 IQD 200.1K

123.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

-36.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.5K

$481 IQD 630.0K

20.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.7K

$746 IQD 976.8K

-22.22%

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 27, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Sulaymaniyah versus $239 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 $172 – 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 11% 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 $1,126 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,013 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 $750 in Sulaymaniyah and $675 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% 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 $750 in Sulaymaniyah and $675 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.