Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $846 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,280 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,715 in Mashhad.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 12% less than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Mashhad 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$5.27 IQD 6,898

0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

-25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-11.99%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$2.95 IQD 3,858

-13.22%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.37 IQD 483

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.18 IQD 234

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$3.50 IQD 4,577

-41.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$2.79 IQD 3,648

-5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.33 IQD 1,741

6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.85 IQD 1,111

15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.64 IQD 2,151

1.22%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$0.88 IQD 1,146

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$4.55 IQD 5,952

27.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$1.98 IQD 2,591

73.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$2.91 IQD 3,815

391.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.03 IQD 1,346

19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.21 IQD 1,588

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$1.02 IQD 1,332

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$0.72 IQD 944

-2.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.68 IQD 894

-7.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.64 IQD 836

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.31 IQD 410

74.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$0.18 IQD 234

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$0.82 IQD 1,076

130.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

-14.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.77 IQD 2,319

-10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$2.09 IQD 2,739

-16.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.36 IQD 478

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$30.92 IQD 40.5K

-26.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$3.74 IQD 4,891

-39.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$1.48 IQD 1,942

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-30.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.57 IQD 752

31.58%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

4.07%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

4.34%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$175 IQD 228.7K

-56.52%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

-36.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$41.27 IQD 54.0K

-36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$36.23 IQD 47.4K

9.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.85 IQD 22.1K

0.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

0.51%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$163 IQD 212.9K

-5.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,529 IQD 4.6M

0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$28.31 IQD 37.1K

-14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

-17.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$65.1 IQD 85.2K

-33.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

-18.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$243 IQD 318.3K

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$179 IQD 233.8K

1.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$579 IQD 758.4K

-1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$349 IQD 457.4K

-1.50%

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 Mashhad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $243 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $36.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $131, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Mashhad differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $846 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 $1,269 in Mashhad 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 $243 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $163 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mashhad pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 Mashhad 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 14% less than in Mashhad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.