Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Baghdadi Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Baghdadi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $743 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,118 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,581 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,492 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 1% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Baghdadi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,893

$5.03 IQD 6,587

4.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$17.32 IQD 22.7K

54.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 IQD 9,180

$6.91 IQD 9,055

1.45%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,461

$1.75 IQD 2,286

50.86%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.42 IQD 553

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.24 IQD 314

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,713

$2.98 IQD 3,904

-30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,549

$2.79 IQD 3,658

-2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$1.09 IQD 1,432

29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$0.62 IQD 819

64.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,108

$2.29 IQD 2,996

-29.69%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,328

$1.76 IQD 2,309

1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 IQD 7,996

$5.76 IQD 7,544

5.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,666

$4.53 IQD 5,929

-21.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

$9.42 IQD 12.3K

48.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$1.03 IQD 1,346

13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,693

$1.01 IQD 1,328

27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.02 IQD 1,330

24.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 957

$0.53 IQD 691

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$0.54 IQD 707

12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.67 IQD 884

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.64 IQD 835

-7.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.48 IQD 631

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$1.77 IQD 2,316

9.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-14.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,974

$1.79 IQD 2,349

-15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,367

$2.17 IQD 2,843

-16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.37 IQD 480

48.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

$31.34 IQD 41.1K

-26.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$2.34 IQD 3,067

0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,053

$1.53 IQD 2,010

52.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 IQD 7,149

$5.98 IQD 7,837

-8.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 IQD 1,005

$0.53 IQD 699

45.28%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

5.55%

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

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

3.45%

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

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

$77.0 IQD 100.8K

-0.51%

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

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

$17.90 IQD 23.4K

-5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

-24.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

$37.02 IQD 48.5K

7.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

$16.75 IQD 21.9K

1.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,786

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-3.61%

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

$151 IQD 198.3K

$153 IQD 200.8K

-1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

$3,309 IQD 4.3M

5.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$27.55 IQD 36.1K

-15.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

-2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

-28.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

-12.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 315.0K

$246 IQD 321.6K

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.3K

$177 IQD 231.7K

-1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 749.5K

$574 IQD 752.2K

-0.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.3K

$345 IQD 452.0K

-1.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

$1,479 IQD 1.9M

-45.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$502 IQD 658.1K

15.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.5K

$491 IQD 643.6K

18.01%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Sulaymaniyah versus $246 in Baghdadi. 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 18% higher in Sulaymaniyah, 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 $17.00 in Baghdadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $171 – making Baghdadi 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 Baghdadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,126 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,115 in Baghdadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $750 in Sulaymaniyah and $743 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Baghdadi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $750 in Sulaymaniyah and $743 in Baghdadi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Baghdadi – 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 Baghdadi. 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.