Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Sulaymaniyah versus $718 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,153 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,588 in Colombo.

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 5% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 IQD 7,068

$4.07 LKR 1,366

32.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$25.28 LKR 8,492

6.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$8.60 LKR 2,891

-18.84%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 3,507

$2.71 LKR 909

-1.11%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.69 LKR 232

-43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.40 LKR 136

-47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$2.27 LKR 764

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 IQD 3,492

$3.27 LKR 1,099

-18.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 IQD 1,948

$1.70 LKR 571

-12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$0.55 LKR 185

87.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$0.88 LKR 295

81.82%

Eggs

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$2.14 LKR 721

-21.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 IQD 7,586

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-58.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 IQD 4,492

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-28.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

$8.09 LKR 2,717

77.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-84.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,703

$1.07 LKR 359

21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,651

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-78.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 925

$1.25 LKR 421

-43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$1.14 LKR 384

-41.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.36 LKR 458

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.20 LKR 403

-50.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$0.56 LKR 190

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-80.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$12.70 LKR 4,266

-8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,992

$2.09 LKR 702

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,305

$2.90 LKR 974

-39.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.16 LKR 54.7

243.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$4.93 LKR 1,657

373.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,983

$0.38 LKR 129

500.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$0.35 LKR 119

554.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,812

$0.62 LKR 207

738.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 IQD 931

$1.19 LKR 401

-40.34%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-22.88%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-38.92%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

27.60%

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

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

$4.30 LKR 1,444

283.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

$15.37 LKR 5,165

75.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

$14.83 LKR 4,984

159.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

$7.39 LKR 2,484

130.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,776

$3.28 LKR 1,103

127.74%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

321.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

$442 LKR 148.5K

683.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

$27.73 LKR 9,318

-13.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$19.12 LKR 6,425

33.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

-36.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 IQD 309.5K

$368 LKR 123.6K

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$173 LKR 58.0K

2.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.2K

$971 LKR 326.1K

-40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.5K

$369 LKR 123.9K

-4.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 IQD 1.1M

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

-76.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 IQD 748.3K

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

-50.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 IQD 753.3K

$251 LKR 84.2K

129.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-45.29%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Sulaymaniyah and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 130% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $258, 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 Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Sulaymaniyah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 130% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $236 in Sulaymaniyah versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – 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.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sulaymaniyah and Colombo 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.