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: $747 in Sulaymaniyah versus $717 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,615 in Colombo.

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 4% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,969

$4.13 LKR 1,381

28.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$25.16 LKR 8,420

6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,272

$8.20 LKR 2,744

-13.66%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$2.66 LKR 890

-0.38%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.68 LKR 226

-45.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.41 LKR 136

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$2.39 LKR 800

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,570

$3.43 LKR 1,146

-20.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.73 LKR 579

-17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$0.53 LKR 176

94.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,094

$0.83 LKR 276

92.77%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,325

$2.23 LKR 746

-20.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$14.02 LKR 4,690

-58.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 IQD 4,533

$4.65 LKR 1,557

-25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$8.01 LKR 2,681

75.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$7.37 LKR 2,466

-84.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,691

$1.12 LKR 375

15.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$5.83 LKR 1,952

-77.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 923

$1.25 LKR 417

-43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 808

$1.14 LKR 382

-45.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$1.42 LKR 475

-52.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$1.14 LKR 382

-49.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.59 LKR 198

-22.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,481

$10.01 LKR 3,351

-81.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$12.73 LKR 4,259

-11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,971

$2.11 LKR 706

-28.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,287

$2.97 LKR 994

-41.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.14 LKR 48.45

292.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

$5.09 LKR 1,702

353.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,087

$0.38 LKR 129

521.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$0.33 LKR 110

606.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 IQD 7,082

$0.60 LKR 201

801.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 943

$1.26 LKR 420

-42.86%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

-22.40%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-40.34%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

25.64%

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

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$4.27 LKR 1,429

291.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$15.34 LKR 5,133

70.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

$14.79 LKR 4,948

161.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

$7.11 LKR 2,380

133.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$3.28 LKR 1,096

137.20%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$37.28 LKR 12.5K

314.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

$444 LKR 148.5K

680.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

$27.15 LKR 9,084

-13.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

$19.13 LKR 6,402

32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

$70.7 LKR 23.7K

-37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

-6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$379 LKR 126.9K

-37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$178 LKR 59.6K

-1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.3K

$937 LKR 313.6K

-38.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.6K

$361 LKR 120.7K

-3.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

-78.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.3K

$1,189 LKR 397.7K

-52.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

$247 LKR 82.8K

129.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 129% 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 $182 vs $257, 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 4% 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.

Sulaymaniyah pays 129% more on average, 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: $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sulaymaniyah pay roughly 42% 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 $717 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 4% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.