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: $752 in Sulaymaniyah versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 2% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 IQD 7,068

$3.79 IQD 4,959

42.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

6.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$6.74 IQD 8,831

3.56%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 3,507

$2.03 IQD 2,656

32.02%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.47 IQD 612

-17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.35 IQD 452

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 IQD 3,492

$2.59 IQD 3,391

3.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 IQD 1,948

$1.23 IQD 1,608

21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$0.70 IQD 922

47.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$1.46 IQD 1,906

9.59%

Eggs

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$1.88 IQD 2,467

-10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 IQD 7,586

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

-29.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 IQD 4,492

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-50.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

9.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$1.05 IQD 1,370

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,703

$1.34 IQD 1,756

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,651

$1.00 IQD 1,316

26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 925

$0.59 IQD 774

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.68 IQD 894

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$0.60 IQD 789

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.78 IQD 1,022

-24.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$0.41 IQD 542

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$1.95 IQD 2,559

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,992

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-49.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,305

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-55.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.37 IQD 479

48.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,983

$2.28 IQD 2,992

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$2.26 IQD 2,957

1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,812

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-24.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 IQD 931

$0.56 IQD 732

26.79%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

59.57%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

-7.45%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

34.17%

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

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-35.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-30.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

9.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,776

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-4.48%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

56.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

-8.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

-43.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

23.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

-37.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

-11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 IQD 309.5K

$445 IQD 582.7K

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$136 IQD 178.0K

30.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.2K

$908 IQD 1.2M

-36.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.5K

$650 IQD 851.8K

-46.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 IQD 1.1M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

-48.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 IQD 748.3K

$783 IQD 1.0M

-27.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 IQD 753.3K

$752 IQD 985.3K

-23.55%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Sulaymaniyah and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 31% 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 $184 vs $212, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($752 vs $739 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Basra. 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: $236 in Sulaymaniyah versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 16% 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 $739 in Basra versus $752 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 2% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.