Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $749 in Sulaymaniyah versus $887 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,339 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,619 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,792 in As Samawah.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 16% less than in As Samawah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 IQD 7,088

$5.27 IQD 6,898

2.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

$37.03 IQD 48.5K

-28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 IQD 9,215

$7.48 IQD 9,798

-5.88%

Cappuccino

$2.58 IQD 3,381

$3.00 IQD 3,929

-14.00%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.39 IQD 512

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 231

$0.18 IQD 242

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,715

$3.38 IQD 4,425

-38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 IQD 3,506

$2.81 IQD 3,682

-4.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$1.36 IQD 1,779

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$0.79 IQD 1,036

27.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,108

$1.65 IQD 2,158

-2.42%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,243

$1.62 IQD 2,122

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 IQD 7,980

$4.37 IQD 5,727

39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 IQD 4,483

$4.86 IQD 6,369

-29.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

$14.28 IQD 18.7K

-2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,605

$1.02 IQD 1,334

20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,685

$0.97 IQD 1,271

32.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,734

$0.73 IQD 955

80.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 913

$0.52 IQD 677

34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 824

$0.65 IQD 850

-3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.67 IQD 873

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.35 IQD 454

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 629

$0.67 IQD 874

-28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,443

$2.11 IQD 2,769

-11.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$7.55 IQD 9,890

49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 IQD 2,049

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$2.11 IQD 2,769

-13.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.40 IQD 519

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

$30.69 IQD 40.2K

-26.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$3.86 IQD 5,060

-39.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,934

$1.48 IQD 1,939

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 IQD 7,109

$7.52 IQD 9,841

-27.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 IQD 955

$0.53 IQD 688

37.74%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

3.36%

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

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

6.66%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.7K

$181 IQD 236.9K

-57.90%

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

$16.53 IQD 21.7K

$26.37 IQD 34.5K

-37.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

$41.14 IQD 53.9K

-34.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

$37.29 IQD 48.8K

6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 IQD 22.4K

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

3.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$7.58 IQD 9,923

3.43%

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

$149 IQD 195.7K

$165 IQD 215.7K

-9.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

$3,615 IQD 4.7M

-2.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.67 IQD 31.0K

$27.99 IQD 36.6K

-15.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$30.93 IQD 40.5K

-18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

-32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.54 IQD 46.5K

$44.13 IQD 57.8K

-19.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.4K

$242 IQD 316.7K

-1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.4K

$181 IQD 236.6K

-2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.0K

$577 IQD 756.1K

-0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 458.1K

$351 IQD 459.9K

-0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$816 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 IQD 769.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$574 IQD 752.3K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Sulaymaniyah and $242 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $37.00 in As Samawah. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $172, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.

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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,123 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,331 in As Samawah 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: $239 in Sulaymaniyah versus $242 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sulaymaniyah runs roughly 36% less than in As Samawah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $149 in Sulaymaniyah versus $165 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sulaymaniyah 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 As Samawah 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 Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in As Samawah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.