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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $472 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,178 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $766 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,059 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 65% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, Baghdadi 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 IQD 5,898

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

-41.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

$14.10 IQD 18.5K

65.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 IQD 9,261

Cappuccino

$2.43 IQD 3,183

$1.85 IQD 2,420

31.35%

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

$0.45 IQD 593

$0.38 IQD 501

18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.21 IQD 273

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 IQD 6,159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 IQD 3,048

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,740

$1.02 IQD 1,331

30.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,283

$0.49 IQD 643

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 IQD 2,507

$2.68 IQD 3,511

-28.73%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.84 IQD 2,412

-4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.95 IQD 6,477

$6.77 IQD 8,859

-26.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 IQD 4,645

$3.29 IQD 4,311

7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 IQD 20.6K

$8.09 IQD 10.6K

94.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,723

$1.03 IQD 1,348

28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,701

$1.02 IQD 1,331

27.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,500

$1.02 IQD 1,333

12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$0.24 IQD 314

191.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.24 IQD 314

129.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.63 IQD 822

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 890

$0.52 IQD 686

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 689

$0.58 IQD 755

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 IQD 3,218

$1.01 IQD 1,324

143.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 IQD 15.2K

$15.10 IQD 19.8K

-23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 IQD 2,232

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.29 IQD 375

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.88 IQD 30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,045

$4.96 IQD 6,501

-53.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,936

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 IQD 7,168

$6.94 IQD 9,094

-21.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 944

$0.42 IQD 546

71.43%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

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

$101 IQD 131.6K

$49.70 IQD 65.1K

102.25%

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

$10.98 IQD 14.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 IQD 37.3K

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

93.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 IQD 47.1K

$59.3 IQD 77.7K

-39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.18 IQD 26.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 IQD 9,871

$8.10 IQD 10.6K

-6.91%

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

$176 IQD 231.0K

$78.6 IQD 102.9K

124.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,879 IQD 3.8M

$5,014 IQD 6.6M

-42.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

$15.04 IQD 19.7K

29.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.44 IQD 33.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.51 IQD 55.7K

$24.60 IQD 32.2K

72.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.09 IQD 49.9K

$39.57 IQD 51.8K

-3.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 IQD 296.1K

$153 IQD 200.3K

47.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 IQD 226.6K

$49.10 IQD 64.3K

252.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 IQD 662.0K

$457 IQD 598.6K

10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 IQD 474.9K

$152 IQD 199.1K

138.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$831 IQD 1.1M

$1,507 IQD 2.0M

-44.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.7K

$499 IQD 652.8K

17.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.1K

$491 IQD 643.1K

18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

-42.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Sulaymaniyah versus $153 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $14.00 in Baghdadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $152 – 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 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,171 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $709 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $14.00 in Baghdadi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Sulaymaniyah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Sulaymaniyah and $472 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.