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: $765 in Sulaymaniyah versus $663 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,170 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,064 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,575 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,466 in Duhok.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 IQD 5,959

$3.84 IQD 5,024

18.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

$18.93 IQD 24.8K

23.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,094

$8.62 IQD 11.3K

-19.49%

Cappuccino

$2.47 IQD 3,240

$2.81 IQD 3,684

-12.10%

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

$0.46 IQD 596

$0.40 IQD 518

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 IQD 302

$0.21 IQD 269

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 IQD 5,865

$1.88 IQD 2,464

138.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,958

$2.35 IQD 3,074

-3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,803

$1.23 IQD 1,611

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 IQD 1,183

$0.78 IQD 1,027

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 IQD 2,546

$1.76 IQD 2,311

10.23%

Eggs

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.85 IQD 2,429

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.03 IQD 6,585

$4.91 IQD 6,436

2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 IQD 4,681

$3.09 IQD 4,041

15.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

$12.88 IQD 16.9K

24.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,707

$1.08 IQD 1,408

20.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,696

$1.11 IQD 1,450

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$0.81 IQD 1,065

46.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 891

$0.69 IQD 904

-1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.75 IQD 976

-22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 964

$0.69 IQD 901

7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 IQD 933

$0.80 IQD 1,045

-11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 651

$0.59 IQD 772

-15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 IQD 3,165

$1.92 IQD 2,517

26.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$1.64 IQD 2,147

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,185

$2.05 IQD 2,686

-18.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 782

$0.36 IQD 466

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

$15.53 IQD 20.3K

48.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,046

$1.86 IQD 2,436

25.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 IQD 3,083

$1.43 IQD 1,875

64.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 IQD 7,198

$5.83 IQD 7,629

-5.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 877

$0.67 IQD 879

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

11.88%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

-5.24%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$92.3 IQD 120.8K

9.69%

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

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

$9.76 IQD 12.8K

13.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

$28.23 IQD 37.0K

1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

$53.3 IQD 69.8K

-32.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-33.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.55 IQD 9,883

3.97%

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

$175 IQD 229.1K

$111 IQD 145.6K

57.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

$3,151 IQD 4.1M

-7.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$10.17 IQD 13.3K

91.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

$20.16 IQD 26.4K

24.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

$30.16 IQD 39.5K

41.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

$20.11 IQD 26.3K

87.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 306.0K

$179 IQD 234.5K

30.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$125 IQD 163.7K

40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 672.3K

$366 IQD 479.6K

40.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 IQD 473.7K

$338 IQD 442.9K

6.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$477 IQD 625.2K

67.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 751.4K

$391 IQD 512.6K

46.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.1K

$455 IQD 595.5K

25.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

2.53

128.06%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Duhok: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Sulaymaniyah and $179 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 26% 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: $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $173 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 ($765 vs $663 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $234 in Sulaymaniyah versus $179 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $175 in Sulaymaniyah versus $111 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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.