Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,054 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,592 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah versus $2,130 in Baghdad.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 29% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Baghdad 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,969

$5.48 IQD 7,181

-2.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

-27.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,272

$7.57 IQD 9,909

-6.47%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$3.06 IQD 4,003

-13.40%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.40 IQD 518

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.18 IQD 242

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$3.42 IQD 4,485

-39.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,570

$2.94 IQD 3,853

-7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.32 IQD 1,726

7.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$0.78 IQD 1,017

32.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,094

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-3.03%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,325

$1.79 IQD 2,350

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$4.40 IQD 5,763

30.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 IQD 4,533

$5.07 IQD 6,636

-31.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$14.34 IQD 18.8K

-1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$1.23 IQD 1,612

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,691

$1.17 IQD 1,530

10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$1.01 IQD 1,329

31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 923

$0.70 IQD 922

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 808

$0.70 IQD 911

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.64 IQD 835

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.63 IQD 822

-7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.66 IQD 871

-30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,481

$2.11 IQD 2,765

-10.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$13.35 IQD 17.5K

-15.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,971

$1.76 IQD 2,301

-14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,287

$2.15 IQD 2,815

-18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.78 IQD 1,027

-29.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

$28.60 IQD 37.4K

-19.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,087

$3.88 IQD 5,087

-39.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$1.47 IQD 1,923

58.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 IQD 7,082

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-31.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 943

$0.56 IQD 737

28.57%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

2.27%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

5.43%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$181 IQD 237.4K

-58.07%

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

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$25.40 IQD 33.3K

-34.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$40.16 IQD 52.6K

-34.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-6.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

$18.43 IQD 24.1K

-9.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-0.51%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$163 IQD 213.2K

-5.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

$3,573 IQD 4.7M

-3.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

$28.57 IQD 37.4K

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

$30.72 IQD 40.2K

-17.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

$63.4 IQD 83.0K

-30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

$43.53 IQD 57.0K

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$540 IQD 707.6K

-56.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$321 IQD 420.5K

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.3K

$818 IQD 1.1M

-29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.6K

$580 IQD 759.9K

-40.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

$4,034 IQD 5.3M

-80.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.3K

$1,617 IQD 2.1M

-64.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

$642 IQD 841.2K

-11.75%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $540 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $191 per month, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper across the board.

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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sulaymaniyah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Baghdad earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $540 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sulaymaniyah runs roughly 24% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $155 in Sulaymaniyah versus $163 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $747 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,054 in Baghdad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sulaymaniyah but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Sulaymaniyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Baghdad 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 41% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.