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 $765 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $645 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,170 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $885 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,125 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 19% more than An Nasiriyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sulaymaniyah and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, An Nasiriyah 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 IQD 5,959

$3.31 IQD 4,336

37.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

88.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,095

$7.02 IQD 9,194

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$2.47 IQD 3,240

$2.66 IQD 3,478

-7.14%

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

$0.46 IQD 596

$0.37 IQD 484

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 IQD 302

$0.17 IQD 228

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 IQD 5,865

$3.90 IQD 5,107

14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,958

$3.79 IQD 4,963

-40.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,803

$0.98 IQD 1,282

40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 IQD 1,183

$0.79 IQD 1,029

13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 IQD 2,546

$1.04 IQD 1,364

86.54%

Eggs

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.82 IQD 2,378

-6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.03 IQD 6,585

$2.93 IQD 3,836

71.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 IQD 4,682

$4.51 IQD 5,903

-20.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

$9.62 IQD 12.6K

66.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,707

$1.12 IQD 1,469

16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,696

$1.08 IQD 1,414

20.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$0.82 IQD 1,068

45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 891

$0.47 IQD 613

44.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.36 IQD 477

61.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 964

$0.59 IQD 775

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 IQD 933

$0.56 IQD 732

26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 651

$0.50 IQD 650

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 IQD 3,165

$1.48 IQD 1,945

63.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

$13.76 IQD 18.0K

-17.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$2.16 IQD 2,830

-14.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,185

$2.22 IQD 2,901

-24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 782

$0.28 IQD 361

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,046

$2.35 IQD 3,073

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 IQD 3,083

$1.54 IQD 2,021

52.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 IQD 7,198

$2.35 IQD 3,072

134.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 877

$0.61 IQD 798

9.84%

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

6.07%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$18.7K IQD 24.4M

2.41%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$216 IQD 283.0K

-53.18%

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

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

$21.76 IQD 28.5K

-49.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

$42.42 IQD 55.5K

-32.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

90.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-25.94%

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

$175 IQD 229.1K

$170 IQD 222.4K

3.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

$3,508 IQD 4.6M

-17.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

71.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

$37.87 IQD 49.6K

-33.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

$26.51 IQD 34.7K

60.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

$38.23 IQD 50.1K

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 306.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 672.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 IQD 473.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 751.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.1K

$770 IQD 1.0M

-25.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

4.12

40.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for An Nasiriyah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 35% higher in An Nasiriyah, 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $12.00 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $160 – 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: $765 in Sulaymaniyah, $645 in An Nasiriyah – roughly 19% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $968 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $765 in Sulaymaniyah and $645 in An Nasiriyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $175 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $170 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $765 in Sulaymaniyah and $645 in An Nasiriyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward An Nasiriyah – 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 Nasiriyah. 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.