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: $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $789 in Halabjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,158 in Halabjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,527 in Halabjah.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 6% less than in Halabjah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Halabjah 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$3.94 IQD 5,154

35.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$19.14 IQD 25.1K

41.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.86 IQD 10.3K

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$1.89 IQD 2,469

35.45%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.39 IQD 512

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.16 IQD 213

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$2.67 IQD 3,493

-23.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.81 IQD 3,686

-6.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$0.63 IQD 821

125.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.80 IQD 1,052

22.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.59 IQD 2,079

4.40%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.57 IQD 2,054

12.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$4.56 IQD 5,967

27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$1.96 IQD 2,564

75.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$9.73 IQD 12.7K

46.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.75 IQD 985

64.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.19 IQD 1,558

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$0.79 IQD 1,029

59.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.69 IQD 900

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.69 IQD 899

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.62 IQD 815

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.62 IQD 817

-12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.65 IQD 852

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$2.16 IQD 2,825

-12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$13.61 IQD 17.8K

-14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.85 IQD 2,417

-14.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$0.91 IQD 1,195

91.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.40 IQD 518

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

-26.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$1.57 IQD 2,056

43.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.54 IQD 2,018

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$2.28 IQD 2,979

135.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.57 IQD 744

31.58%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

2.02%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$9,469 IQD 12.4M

117.97%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$156 IQD 203.7K

-51.19%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$11.38 IQD 14.9K

43.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$29.92 IQD 39.2K

-12.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$36.53 IQD 47.8K

8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

2.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.51 IQD 9,839

4.53%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$168 IQD 220.0K

-8.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,549 IQD 4.6M

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$7.62 IQD 9,980

217.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$30.20 IQD 39.6K

-17.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$65.6 IQD 85.9K

-34.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

-18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$245 IQD 320.5K

-3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$178 IQD 232.7K

1.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$570 IQD 746.0K

-0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$349 IQD 457.0K

-1.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Halabjah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $245 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 $183 vs $149 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 6% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $789 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,116 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,183 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: $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $245 in Halabjah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Halabjah pay roughly 23% 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 6% less than in Halabjah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.