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: $761 in Sulaymaniyah versus $646 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,182 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,042 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,603 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,437 in Duhok.

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 18% more expensive than in Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,866

$3.82 IQD 4,994

37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

42.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,257

$7.18 IQD 9,392

-1.39%

Cappuccino

$2.66 IQD 3,481

$2.64 IQD 3,452

0.76%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.40 IQD 522

-2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 216

$0.18 IQD 233

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,687

$1.13 IQD 1,482

81.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,394

$1.87 IQD 2,449

38.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,931

$1.37 IQD 1,786

8.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,329

$0.82 IQD 1,067

24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,170

$1.57 IQD 2,050

5.73%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,260

$1.88 IQD 2,462

-7.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 IQD 7,838

$5.22 IQD 6,825

14.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$2.94 IQD 3,840

17.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,543

$1.12 IQD 1,460

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,633

$1.14 IQD 1,494

9.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,674

$0.82 IQD 1,071

56.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 960

$0.75 IQD 977

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$0.72 IQD 939

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 839

$0.71 IQD 924

-9.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.77 IQD 1,011

-23.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.56 IQD 726

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$1.87 IQD 2,450

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 IQD 14.8K

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

-7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$1.38 IQD 1,802

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,284

$2.00 IQD 2,610

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.35 IQD 460

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.2K

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

45.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$2.35 IQD 3,079

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

$1.51 IQD 1,979

54.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 IQD 7,044

$6.04 IQD 7,901

-10.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 983

$0.64 IQD 835

17.19%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.5M

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

11.66%

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

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

7.61%

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

$78.8 IQD 103.1K

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

-15.50%

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

$16.77 IQD 21.9K

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

67.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.39 IQD 34.5K

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 IQD 51.0K

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

-1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

1.69%

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

$154 IQD 201.5K

$112 IQD 146.9K

37.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

9.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

135.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.55 IQD 33.4K

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

29.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.24 IQD 57.9K

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

48.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.79 IQD 48.1K

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

82.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 307.4K

$181 IQD 236.5K

29.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.0K

$123 IQD 160.4K

47.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.9K

$374 IQD 489.8K

52.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.2K

$345 IQD 450.6K

-0.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

$460 IQD 601.6K

76.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$584 IQD 764.2K

$385 IQD 503.8K

51.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 758.5K

$431 IQD 564.3K

34.42%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Duhok: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Sulaymaniyah and $181 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 34% 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 $172 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 18% in total monthly costs ($761 vs $646 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $181 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $112 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 18% less than in Sulaymaniyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.