Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Duhok Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Duhok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $646 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,057 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,468 in Duhok.

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 15% more expensive than Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,963

$3.93 IQD 5,146

35.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,030

$6.94 IQD 9,081

-0.58%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,345

$2.53 IQD 3,311

1.19%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.42 IQD 555

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.18 IQD 237

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,680

$1.17 IQD 1,532

75.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,450

$1.93 IQD 2,524

36.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,860

$1.36 IQD 1,783

4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,276

$0.86 IQD 1,124

13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,170

$1.57 IQD 2,060

5.73%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,296

$1.87 IQD 2,449

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,589

$5.24 IQD 6,857

10.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,496

$2.93 IQD 3,826

17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,605

$1.12 IQD 1,469

9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,633

$1.20 IQD 1,565

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,643

$0.82 IQD 1,070

53.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.71 IQD 929

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.70 IQD 919

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.70 IQD 910

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 710

$0.73 IQD 957

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.56 IQD 732

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,467

$1.86 IQD 2,432

1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,069

$1.44 IQD 1,884

9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,270

$1.97 IQD 2,575

-11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 723

$0.33 IQD 431

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

44.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,945

$2.23 IQD 2,919

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,925

$1.54 IQD 2,017

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,025

$6.08 IQD 7,949

-11.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.66 IQD 861

13.64%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

8.79%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

4.27%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.3K

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

-19.06%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

69.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

-12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 51.9K

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

-23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

0.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.44 IQD 9,737

5.51%

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

$154 IQD 201.1K

$115 IQD 150.0K

34.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

6.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

138.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

26.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

43.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

80.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$180 IQD 235.3K

31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.7K

$124 IQD 162.5K

45.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 743.8K

$367 IQD 479.6K

55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.0K

$346 IQD 452.3K

-0.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$471 IQD 615.6K

71.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 767.3K

$394 IQD 515.0K

48.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 734.7K

$430 IQD 562.4K

30.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

-37.19%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Duhok: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $180 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 31% 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 $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $174 per month, with Duhok cheaper across the board.

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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Duhok differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $646 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sulaymaniyah pays 31% 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 $180 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $115 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sulaymaniyah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Duhok gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Duhok 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 Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.