Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Minsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Minsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $752 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $861 in Minsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,169 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,364 in Minsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,586 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,867 in Minsk, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 13% cheaper than Minsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Minsk are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Minsk 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 IQD 7,068

$9.16 BYN 26.39

-41.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$31.21 BYN 89.9

-13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$5.35 BYN 15.40

30.47%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 3,507

$1.70 BYN 4.89

57.65%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.65 BYN 1.86

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.42 BYN 1.22

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$1.25 BYN 3.60

63.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 IQD 3,492

$2.19 BYN 6.29

21.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 IQD 1,948

$0.73 BYN 2.11

104.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$0.58 BYN 1.66

77.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$1.19 BYN 3.42

34.45%

Eggs

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$1.35 BYN 3.88

25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 IQD 7,586

$6.42 BYN 18.48

-9.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 IQD 4,492

$4.10 BYN 11.79

-16.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

$8.07 BYN 23.25

77.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$1.17 BYN 3.36

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,703

$1.72 BYN 4.94

-24.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,651

$1.75 BYN 5.05

-28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 925

$2.53 BYN 7.28

-71.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.47 BYN 1.35

42.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$0.61 BYN 1.76

11.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.35 BYN 3.88

-56.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$0.55 BYN 1.58

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$1.82 BYN 5.25

6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$8.79 BYN 25.32

32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,992

$1.00 BYN 2.87

52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,305

$1.73 BYN 4.98

1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.30 BYN 0.85

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$15.77 BYN 45.43

47.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,983

$1.41 BYN 4.05

61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$0.30 BYN 0.86

663.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,812

$5.72 BYN 16.48

-9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 IQD 931

$0.73 BYN 2.09

-2.74%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

$20.2K BYN 58.1K

3.98%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$24.3K BYN 70.0K

-13.91%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$53.3 BYN 153

42.68%

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

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

$7.44 BYN 21.43

121.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

$10.33 BYN 29.74

160.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

$31.32 BYN 90.2

22.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

$14.79 BYN 42.60

15.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,776

$4.57 BYN 13.17

63.46%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$305 BYN 878

-49.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

$10.3K BYN 29.6K

-66.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

$50.3 BYN 145

-52.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$43.31 BYN 125

-41.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

$114 BYN 329

-61.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

$97.4 BYN 280

-62.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 IQD 309.5K

$477 BYN 1,374

-50.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$316 BYN 911

-43.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.2K

$846 BYN 2,437

-32.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.5K

$557 BYN 1,604

-36.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 IQD 1.1M

$2,555 BYN 7,358

-67.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 IQD 748.3K

$1,637 BYN 4,714

-65.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 IQD 753.3K

$944 BYN 2,719

-39.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

-39.07%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Minsk: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Sulaymaniyah versus $477 in Minsk. 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 64% higher in Minsk, 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 $31.00 in Minsk. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Sulaymaniyah vs $164 in Minsk – so Minsk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Minsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minsk costs about 15% more than Sulaymaniyah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,128 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,292 in Minsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Minsk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $31.00 in Minsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $752 in Sulaymaniyah and $861 in Minsk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $752 versus $861 in Minsk. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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