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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $737 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,137 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,537 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 45% lower, Baghdadi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$4.88 IQD 6,388

9.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$16.69 IQD 21.9K

61.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$6.90 IQD 9,042

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$1.76 IQD 2,308

45.45%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.42 IQD 549

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.24 IQD 313

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$2.92 IQD 3,827

-29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.85 IQD 3,735

-7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.14 IQD 1,490

24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.63 IQD 826

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$2.24 IQD 2,935

-25.89%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.69 IQD 2,219

4.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$5.74 IQD 7,517

1.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$4.38 IQD 5,735

-21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$9.05 IQD 11.9K

58.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.97 IQD 1,273

26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$0.98 IQD 1,288

27.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$1.01 IQD 1,328

24.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.57 IQD 744

22.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.56 IQD 737

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.63 IQD 829

1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.70 IQD 920

-22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.48 IQD 629

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$1.80 IQD 2,357

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

-22.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.82 IQD 2,385

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.16 IQD 2,826

-19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.36 IQD 477

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$30.64 IQD 40.1K

-25.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$2.31 IQD 3,030

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.48 IQD 1,932

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$5.98 IQD 7,835

-10.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.57 IQD 740

31.58%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

7.57%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

2.37%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$77.4 IQD 101.4K

-1.90%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$17.78 IQD 23.3K

-8.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$34.54 IQD 45.2K

-24.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

8.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$17.04 IQD 22.3K

-0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

1.29%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$149 IQD 194.9K

3.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,218 IQD 4.2M

9.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$27.30 IQD 35.7K

-11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$25.13 IQD 32.9K

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$60.7 IQD 79.5K

-29.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$41.54 IQD 54.4K

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$242 IQD 317.1K

-2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$182 IQD 237.7K

-0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$584 IQD 765.4K

-2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$345 IQD 452.2K

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$1,524 IQD 2.0M

-47.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

$506 IQD 662.5K

15.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$498 IQD 652.7K

12.69%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $242 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 13% 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: $183 vs $173 – 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 $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,106 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 $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $737 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $737 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.