Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Halabjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Halabjah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $761 in Sulaymaniyah versus $769 in Halabjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,176 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,137 in Halabjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,505 in Halabjah.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 1% less than in Halabjah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, Halabjah 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 IQD 7,098

$3.81 IQD 4,987

42.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$19.17 IQD 25.1K

39.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,953

$7.51 IQD 9,836

-8.92%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$1.88 IQD 2,461

40.96%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.37 IQD 478

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.18 IQD 236

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,681

$2.69 IQD 3,525

-23.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 IQD 3,529

$2.93 IQD 3,843

-8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 IQD 1,913

$0.60 IQD 785

143.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$0.74 IQD 975

33.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,105

$1.67 IQD 2,182

-3.59%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.56 IQD 2,041

9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$4.48 IQD 5,861

35.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 4,617

$1.90 IQD 2,482

85.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

$9.92 IQD 13.0K

45.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$0.79 IQD 1,041

48.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.15 IQD 1,508

6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,671

$0.78 IQD 1,026

64.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.75 IQD 978

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.64 IQD 838

4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.62 IQD 812

4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.68 IQD 887

-19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$0.65 IQD 857

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$2.08 IQD 2,724

-6.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

$13.40 IQD 17.5K

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.77 IQD 2,315

-14.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,269

$0.97 IQD 1,274

78.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.37 IQD 481

48.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

-26.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,966

$1.56 IQD 2,049

45.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 IQD 2,986

$1.47 IQD 1,929

55.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 IQD 6,828

$2.23 IQD 2,922

133.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.54 IQD 703

38.89%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

5.68%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

$9,610 IQD 12.6M

119.92%

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

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

$155 IQD 203.5K

-50.14%

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

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

43.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

$36.79 IQD 48.2K

4.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

$17.03 IQD 22.3K

-2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$7.48 IQD 9,793

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

$150 IQD 196.2K

$167 IQD 218.1K

-10.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

$3,531 IQD 4.6M

0.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

$7.56 IQD 9,904

210.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

-32.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$43.35 IQD 56.8K

-16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 308.2K

$241 IQD 315.2K

-2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.2K

$182 IQD 237.7K

-0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 IQD 744.4K

$578 IQD 757.4K

-1.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.3K

$340 IQD 445.7K

-0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

58.73%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Halabjah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Sulaymaniyah and $241 in Halabjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $19.00 in Halabjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $148 per month, with Halabjah 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 Halabjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Halabjah differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($761 vs $769 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,142 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,154 in Halabjah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $241 in Halabjah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Halabjah pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $19.00 in Halabjah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sulaymaniyah 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 Halabjah 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 Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Halabjah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.