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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $761 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $803 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,176 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,161 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,520 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 5% cheaper than An Nasiriyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, An Nasiriyah 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 IQD 7,098

$3.17 IQD 4,152

70.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$12.48 IQD 16.3K

113.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,953

$7.02 IQD 9,197

-2.56%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$2.70 IQD 3,532

-1.85%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.36 IQD 473

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.19 IQD 246

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,681

$3.51 IQD 4,595

-41.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 IQD 3,529

$2.85 IQD 3,739

-5.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 IQD 1,913

$0.87 IQD 1,142

67.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$0.84 IQD 1,100

17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,105

$1.37 IQD 1,797

17.52%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.66 IQD 2,171

3.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$3.23 IQD 4,230

87.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 4,617

$3.84 IQD 5,032

-8.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

$8.65 IQD 11.3K

67.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.23 IQD 1,606

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.16 IQD 1,523

6.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,671

$0.81 IQD 1,062

58.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.41 IQD 534

82.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.40 IQD 528

67.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.55 IQD 715

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.51 IQD 672

7.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$0.44 IQD 576

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$1.61 IQD 2,102

20.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

-13.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.77 IQD 2,321

-14.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,269

$2.18 IQD 2,852

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.23 IQD 301

139.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

$31.24 IQD 40.9K

-27.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,966

$2.36 IQD 3,095

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 IQD 2,986

$1.53 IQD 2,010

49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 IQD 6,828

$2.95 IQD 3,859

76.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.54 IQD 704

38.89%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

3.71%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

$15.1K IQD 19.8M

39.98%

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

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

$175 IQD 229.5K

-55.80%

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

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

$26.02 IQD 34.1K

-35.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

$40.42 IQD 52.9K

-33.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

$19.44 IQD 25.5K

98.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

-0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-4.23%

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

$150 IQD 196.2K

$166 IQD 217.1K

-9.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

$3,538 IQD 4.6M

0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

$11.53 IQD 15.1K

103.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

-17.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

62.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$37.93 IQD 49.7K

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 308.2K

$246 IQD 322.6K

-4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.2K

$177 IQD 231.7K

1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 IQD 744.4K

$587 IQD 768.3K

-3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.3K

$339 IQD 443.5K

0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

$776 IQD 1.0M

-26.49%

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 Nasiriyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $246 in An Nasiriyah. 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 36% higher in An Nasiriyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $12.00 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $152 – making An Nasiriyah 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 Nasiriyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $761 in Sulaymaniyah, $803 in An Nasiriyah – roughly 5% apart. An Nasiriyah costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,142 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,204 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 38% less in Sulaymaniyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $166 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $803 in An Nasiriyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – 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 Sulaymaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, An Nasiriyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.