Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Mosul Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Mosul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $624 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,168 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,003 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,589 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,383 in Mosul, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 20% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,969

$3.48 IQD 4,562

52.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,272

$6.18 IQD 8,090

14.56%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$1.61 IQD 2,111

64.60%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.40 IQD 525

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.22 IQD 283

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$1.55 IQD 2,034

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,570

$1.56 IQD 2,037

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$0.94 IQD 1,230

51.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$0.82 IQD 1,079

25.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,094

$1.28 IQD 1,682

25.00%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,325

$1.53 IQD 2,000

16.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$3.48 IQD 4,553

65.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 IQD 4,533

$3.80 IQD 4,979

-8.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

19.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$0.68 IQD 887

72.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,691

$1.07 IQD 1,406

20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$0.68 IQD 888

95.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 923

$0.46 IQD 603

54.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 808

$0.45 IQD 590

37.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.58 IQD 753

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.44 IQD 580

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.52 IQD 687

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,481

$1.96 IQD 2,566

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$7.53 IQD 9,859

49.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,971

$1.43 IQD 1,873

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,287

$1.88 IQD 2,462

-6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.36 IQD 473

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-69.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,087

$1.56 IQD 2,042

51.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$1.47 IQD 1,922

58.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 IQD 7,082

$4.62 IQD 6,049

17.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 943

$0.58 IQD 754

24.14%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

20.06%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

2.80%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$102 IQD 133.3K

-25.33%

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

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

71.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

-24.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

-17.67%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$176 IQD 230.2K

-12.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

5.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

54.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

64.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

40.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$152 IQD 198.9K

55.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

99.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.3K

$265 IQD 347.3K

118.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.6K

$286 IQD 374.3K

21.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

$814 IQD 1.1M

-1.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.3K

$925 IQD 1.2M

-38.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

$475 IQD 621.9K

19.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

-37.19%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mosul: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $152 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, 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 $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $145 – making Mosul 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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $747 in Sulaymaniyah, $624 in Mosul – roughly 20% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,121 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $935 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Sulaymaniyah and $624 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 228% less in Mosul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $747 in Sulaymaniyah and $624 in Mosul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mosul – 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 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.