Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Karbala Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Karbala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $661 in Karbala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $973 in Karbala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,284 in Karbala, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 13% more than Karbala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Karbala are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Karbala 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$5.06 IQD 6,623

5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$15.13 IQD 19.8K

78.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$5.25 IQD 6,881

31.43%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$1.58 IQD 2,071

62.03%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.36 IQD 474

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.30 IQD 395

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$1.94 IQD 2,538

5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.79 IQD 3,653

-5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.13 IQD 1,475

25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.70 IQD 912

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.44 IQD 1,891

15.28%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.80 IQD 2,360

-2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$5.00 IQD 6,548

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$4.70 IQD 6,155

-26.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$9.57 IQD 12.5K

49.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$0.99 IQD 1,301

24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.04 IQD 1,364

20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$0.92 IQD 1,205

36.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.68 IQD 889

2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.64 IQD 841

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.50 IQD 659

28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.60 IQD 791

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.58 IQD 759

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$1.96 IQD 2,572

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.01 IQD 1,323

56.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.09 IQD 2,733

-16.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.39 IQD 511

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$30.63 IQD 40.1K

-25.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$2.27 IQD 2,974

-0.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.48 IQD 1,939

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-31.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.51 IQD 674

47.06%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$11.5K IQD 15.1M

79.59%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$14.3K IQD 18.7M

44.64%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

4.43%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$24.73 IQD 32.4K

-33.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$49.57 IQD 64.9K

-47.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$23.23 IQD 30.4K

70.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$17.00 IQD 22.3K

-0.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$9.05 IQD 11.8K

-13.26%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$126 IQD 165.1K

21.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$769 IQD 1.0M

360.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$17.18 IQD 22.5K

40.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$13.76 IQD 18.0K

81.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$30.58 IQD 40.0K

40.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$32.20 IQD 42.2K

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$251 IQD 328.7K

-5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$148 IQD 193.9K

22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$346 IQD 453.1K

64.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$244 IQD 319.0K

41.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$1,157 IQD 1.5M

-30.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

$152 IQD 198.8K

286.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$395 IQD 516.8K

42.33%

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 Karbala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $251 in Karbala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $15.00 in Karbala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $138 – making Karbala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karbala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $991 in Karbala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karbala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $661 in Karbala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Karbala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $661 in Karbala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karbala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karbala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sulaymaniyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.