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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $761 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $753 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,176 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,140 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,526 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 43% lower, Baghdadi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 IQD 7,098

$5.07 IQD 6,644

6.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$16.69 IQD 21.9K

59.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,953

$7.03 IQD 9,209

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$1.71 IQD 2,235

54.97%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.43 IQD 562

-9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.26 IQD 342

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,681

$2.93 IQD 3,840

-30.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 IQD 3,529

$2.91 IQD 3,808

-7.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 IQD 1,913

$1.14 IQD 1,490

28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$0.67 IQD 879

47.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,105

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-28.13%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.69 IQD 2,215

1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 4,617

$4.43 IQD 5,798

-20.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

56.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.02 IQD 1,337

14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$0.97 IQD 1,275

26.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,671

$1.01 IQD 1,323

26.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.53 IQD 695

41.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.57 IQD 747

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.64 IQD 832

1.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.65 IQD 857

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$0.52 IQD 675

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$1.72 IQD 2,255

12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

$15.22 IQD 19.9K

-24.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.85 IQD 2,425

-18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,269

$2.07 IQD 2,708

-16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.37 IQD 480

48.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

$31.42 IQD 41.1K

-28.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,966

$2.25 IQD 2,944

0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 IQD 2,986

$1.47 IQD 1,925

55.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 IQD 6,828

$6.02 IQD 7,879

-13.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.57 IQD 748

31.58%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.0K IQD 24.8M

9.35%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

7.61%

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

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

1.49%

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

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

$17.46 IQD 22.9K

-3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

$35.09 IQD 45.9K

-23.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

$36.50 IQD 47.8K

5.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

1.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$7.44 IQD 9,746

0.54%

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

$150 IQD 196.2K

$153 IQD 200.0K

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

$3,291 IQD 4.3M

7.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

$27.23 IQD 35.7K

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$25.11 IQD 32.9K

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

-27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$40.99 IQD 53.7K

-11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 308.2K

$240 IQD 313.6K

-1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.2K

$176 IQD 230.6K

2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 IQD 744.4K

$590 IQD 772.5K

-3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.3K

$348 IQD 455.1K

-2.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

$1,528 IQD 2.0M

-46.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

$492 IQD 643.7K

17.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

$509 IQD 665.9K

12.16%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $240 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 12% 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 $175 – 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 $1,142 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,129 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 $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $753 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $753 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.