Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Mosul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mosul: $573 a month against $663 in Sulaymaniyah, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Sulaymaniyah
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Sulaymaniyah Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Mosul
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Mosul Living Index

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Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$663

/mo nomad

Mosul

🇮🇶 Iraq

$573

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sulaymaniyah and in Mosul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sulaymaniyah and in Mosul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $663 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $573 in Mosul, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah $663
Mosul $573

A couple spends around $1,034 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $906 in Mosul, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah $1,034
Mosul $906

A family of three spends $1,406 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,239 in Mosul, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah $1,406
Mosul $1,239

Sulaymaniyah costs about 16% more than Mosul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 51% lower, Mosul 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 IQD 6,363

$4.07 IQD 6,154

3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 IQD 29.8K

$16.30 IQD 24.6K

21.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 IQD 8,916

$5.21 IQD 7,870

13.24%

Cappuccino

$2.45 IQD 3,702

$1.44 IQD 2,171

70.14%

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

$0.43 IQD 650

$0.37 IQD 552

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

$0.16 IQD 241

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 IQD 4,873

$1.35 IQD 2,045

138.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 3,080

$1.30 IQD 1,965

56.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,677

$0.72 IQD 1,086

54.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 IQD 1,339

$0.63 IQD 955

41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,516

$1.09 IQD 1,645

52.29%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,345

$1.35 IQD 2,045

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 IQD 6,509

$3.05 IQD 4,611

41.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 IQD 5,536

$3.63 IQD 5,481

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 IQD 20.1K

$10.20 IQD 15.4K

30.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,680

$0.60 IQD 900

85.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,646

$0.89 IQD 1,347

22.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,579

$0.61 IQD 915

70.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 843

$0.43 IQD 650

30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 740

$0.41 IQD 617

19.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 957

$0.41 IQD 621

53.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 883

$0.36 IQD 544

61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 685

$0.52 IQD 785

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 IQD 3,049

$1.67 IQD 2,528

20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 IQD 14.7K

$6.47 IQD 9,779

50.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 IQD 2,509

$1.47 IQD 2,222

12.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 IQD 1,896

$1.67 IQD 2,516

-25.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 IQD 786

$0.34 IQD 518

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 IQD 29.8K

$75.0 IQD 113.4K

-73.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 IQD 2,904

$1.29 IQD 1,954

48.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 IQD 2,961

$1.36 IQD 2,051

44.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 IQD 6,774

$3.99 IQD 6,032

12.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 865

$0.44 IQD 661

29.55%

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

$17.6K IQD 26.6M

$15.0K IQD 22.7M

17.25%

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

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

$17.3K IQD 26.2M

-2.13%

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

$85.2 IQD 128.7K

$76.1 IQD 115.0K

11.92%

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

$10.12 IQD 15.3K

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

-17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 IQD 36.3K

$23.78 IQD 35.9K

1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.78 IQD 51.0K

$20.66 IQD 31.2K

63.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.92 IQD 27.1K

$22.72 IQD 34.3K

-21.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 IQD 9,916

$8.09 IQD 12.2K

-18.91%

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

$153 IQD 231.1K

$172 IQD 259.6K

-11.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 IQD 3.8M

$2,729 IQD 4.1M

-6.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.75 IQD 25.3K

$10.79 IQD 16.3K

55.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.28 IQD 33.7K

$16.25 IQD 24.6K

37.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.83 IQD 55.7K

$23.17 IQD 35.0K

58.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.01 IQD 49.9K

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

49.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 IQD 282.6K

$142 IQD 215.2K

31.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 IQD 221.9K

$103 IQD 155.9K

42.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 IQD 632.8K

$247 IQD 373.8K

69.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 IQD 474.4K

$252 IQD 380.7K

24.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$695 IQD 1.1M

$730 IQD 1.1M

-4.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$548 IQD 828.2K

$502 IQD 758.5K

9.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 IQD 757.3K

$420 IQD 634.2K

19.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

2.53

128.06%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mosul: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Sulaymaniyah

$164 24.7%

Mosul

$127 22.2% 22.2% $36

Accommodation & Living

Sulaymaniyah

$147 22.2%

Mosul

$103 18% 29.8% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sulaymaniyah

$119 18%

Mosul

$112 19.6% 6% $7.2

Eating Out

Sulaymaniyah

$104 15.6%

Mosul

$77 13.4% 25.7% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Sulaymaniyah

$49 7.4%

Mosul

$33 5.7% 33.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Sulaymaniyah

$47 7.1%

Mosul

$37 6.4% 21.5% $10

Getting Around

Sulaymaniyah

$34 5.1%

Mosul

$84 14.7% 152% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $187 in Sulaymaniyah versus $142 in Mosul. 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 19% higher in Sulaymaniyah. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Sulaymaniyah versus $16 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $127 – making Mosul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Mosul

🕒 Local time

21:49 9:49 PM

Same time as Sulaymaniyah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

823,199

1,683,000

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Sulaymaniyah Mosul 230 km

From you

Sulaymaniyah
Mosul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $663 in Sulaymaniyah, $573 in Mosul – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $994 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $860 in Mosul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mosul, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $142 there versus $187 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $663 in Sulaymaniyah and $573 in Mosul. That’s a gap of about 16%.

Public transport costs about 74% less in Sulaymaniyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $663 in Sulaymaniyah and $573 in Mosul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Sulaymaniyah has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $573 in Mosul to $663 in Sulaymaniyah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mosul. 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.