Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Basra Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Basra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Sulaymaniyah versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 1% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Basra 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,969

$3.81 IQD 4,990

39.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

8.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,272

$7.02 IQD 9,194

0.85%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$2.06 IQD 2,695

28.64%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.44 IQD 572

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.35 IQD 452

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-46.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,570

$2.70 IQD 3,532

1.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.23 IQD 1,607

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$0.70 IQD 919

47.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,094

$1.41 IQD 1,850

13.48%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,325

$1.92 IQD 2,512

-7.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

-28.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 IQD 4,533

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-52.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$1.01 IQD 1,321

15.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,691

$1.42 IQD 1,858

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,738

$1.02 IQD 1,331

30.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 923

$0.63 IQD 820

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 808

$0.71 IQD 932

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.57 IQD 744

17.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.83 IQD 1,085

-30.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.41 IQD 541

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,481

$1.88 IQD 2,458

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

-11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,971

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,287

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-53.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.39 IQD 516

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

-0.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,087

$2.31 IQD 3,028

2.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$2.21 IQD 2,891

5.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 IQD 7,082

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-19.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 943

$0.58 IQD 762

24.14%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

56.61%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

-9.62%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

34.34%

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

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-31.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

7.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

0.39%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

59.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

-8.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

-43.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

-39.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$455 IQD 595.7K

-47.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$133 IQD 174.1K

31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.3K

$918 IQD 1.2M

-36.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.6K

$671 IQD 878.1K

-48.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

-49.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.4K

$800 IQD 1.0M

-28.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

$763 IQD 998.7K

-25.67%

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 Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $25.00 in Basra. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $213, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Basra differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($747 vs $742 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 35% 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 $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $747 in Sulaymaniyah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Sulaymaniyah. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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 Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.