Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and 'aqrah

For one person, living costs are similar in Sulaymaniyah and in 'aqrah: $668 and $661 a month, rent and utilities included.

32

Cost of Living Index in Sulaymaniyah
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Sulaymaniyah Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index

Jump to prices

Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$668

/mo nomad

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sulaymaniyah and in 'aqrah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sulaymaniyah and in 'aqrah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Sulaymaniyah versus $661 in 'aqrah.

Sulaymaniyah $668
'aqrah $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,038 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,015 in 'aqrah.

Sulaymaniyah $1,038
'aqrah $1,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,407 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,369 in 'aqrah.

Sulaymaniyah $1,407
'aqrah $1,369

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 1% more expensive than in 'aqrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 51% lower, 'aqrah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 IQD 6,664

$3.62 IQD 5,467

21.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.08 IQD 30.3K

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

-7.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 IQD 9,090

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

-11.73%

Cappuccino

$2.38 IQD 3,595

$2.38 IQD 3,602

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

$0.42 IQD 639

$0.32 IQD 485

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 332

$0.18 IQD 273

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 IQD 4,910

$3.11 IQD 4,706

4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,968

$2.61 IQD 3,945

-24.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 IQD 1,659

$0.94 IQD 1,416

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 IQD 1,300

$0.72 IQD 1,086

19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,494

$1.46 IQD 2,205

13.01%

Eggs

$1.48 IQD 2,232

$1.70 IQD 2,573

-12.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 IQD 6,743

$3.48 IQD 5,252

28.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 5,334

$4.16 IQD 6,291

-15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 IQD 19.6K

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

-2.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,730

$0.92 IQD 1,383

23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,619

$0.91 IQD 1,375

17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,524

$0.77 IQD 1,161

31.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 878

$0.66 IQD 990

-12.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 739

$0.54 IQD 809

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 892

$0.64 IQD 965

-7.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 950

$0.51 IQD 776

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 682

$0.50 IQD 756

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 3,021

$1.57 IQD 2,368

27.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 IQD 15.1K

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

-8.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,527

$1.33 IQD 2,003

25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 IQD 1,899

$1.85 IQD 2,800

-31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 IQD 769

$0.45 IQD 679

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 IQD 29.8K

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

12.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 IQD 2,952

$1.89 IQD 2,859

3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 IQD 2,925

$1.39 IQD 2,099

39.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 IQD 6,957

$5.15 IQD 7,788

-10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 857

$0.48 IQD 727

18.75%

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

$17.6K IQD 26.6M

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

4.27%

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

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

-14.37%

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

$87.2 IQD 131.7K

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

8.75%

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

$10.17 IQD 15.4K

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

-25.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.75 IQD 35.9K

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

-12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.59 IQD 52.3K

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

-6.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.49 IQD 26.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 IQD 10.1K

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

-20.62%

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

$150 IQD 227.3K

$142 IQD 213.9K

6.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,553 IQD 3.9M

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

-3.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.58 IQD 25.0K

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

-24.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.70 IQD 32.8K

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

-9.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.04 IQD 56.0K

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

-21.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.18 IQD 50.1K

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 IQD 283.1K

$184 IQD 277.8K

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 IQD 225.8K

$141 IQD 213.2K

5.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 IQD 619.7K

$358 IQD 541.4K

14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 IQD 472.8K

$278 IQD 419.4K

12.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 IQD 1.0M

$779 IQD 1.2M

-11.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$530 IQD 800.5K

$642 IQD 970.8K

-17.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 IQD 735.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

3.33

73.27%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 10, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Sulaymaniyah

$163 24.4%

'aqrah

$160 24.2% 1.6% $2.7

Accommodation & Living

Sulaymaniyah

$149 22.4%

'aqrah

$141 21.4% 5.6% $8.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sulaymaniyah

$121 18.1%

'aqrah

$121 18.3% 0.1% $0.1

Eating Out

Sulaymaniyah

$105 15.7%

'aqrah

$101 15.3% 3.6% $3.8

Clothing & Footwear

Sulaymaniyah

$49 7.3%

'aqrah

$56 8.5% 14.5% $7.1

Sport & Entertainment

Sulaymaniyah

$48 7.2%

'aqrah

$54 8.1% 12.3% $5.9

Getting Around

Sulaymaniyah

$33 5%

'aqrah

$28 4.3% 15.8% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Sulaymaniyah and $184 in 'aqrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $22.00 in 'aqrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $160, with 'aqrah cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🕒 Local time

05:42 5:42 AM

Same time as Sulaymaniyah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

823,199

68,100

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Sulaymaniyah 'aqrah 190 km

From you

Sulaymaniyah
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'aqrah wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Sulaymaniyah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making 'aqrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,002 in Sulaymaniyah and $991 in 'aqrah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $187 in Sulaymaniyah versus $184 in 'aqrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $668 per month in Sulaymaniyah versus $661 in 'aqrah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 'aqrah runs roughly 13% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though 'aqrah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sulaymaniyah and 'aqrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'aqrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.