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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $752 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $632 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,169 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,006 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,586 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,380 in Mosul, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 19% 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

$5.40 IQD 7,068

$3.47 IQD 4,547

55.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

38.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$6.08 IQD 7,956

14.80%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 3,507

$1.61 IQD 2,109

66.46%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.40 IQD 528

-2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.21 IQD 278

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$1.55 IQD 2,033

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 IQD 3,492

$1.50 IQD 1,964

78.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 IQD 1,948

$1.01 IQD 1,319

47.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$0.82 IQD 1,073

25.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$1.29 IQD 1,690

24.03%

Eggs

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$1.59 IQD 2,076

6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 IQD 7,586

$3.56 IQD 4,665

62.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 IQD 4,492

$3.94 IQD 5,165

-12.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$0.73 IQD 953

60.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,703

$1.06 IQD 1,389

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,651

$0.72 IQD 942

75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 925

$0.47 IQD 611

51.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.45 IQD 592

48.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$0.58 IQD 760

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.48 IQD 622

22.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$0.52 IQD 676

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$1.93 IQD 2,523

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$7.60 IQD 9,958

53.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,992

$1.40 IQD 1,831

8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,305

$1.88 IQD 2,461

-6.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.36 IQD 477

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-69.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,983

$1.49 IQD 1,949

53.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$1.47 IQD 1,927

55.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,812

$4.48 IQD 5,864

16.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 IQD 931

$0.52 IQD 686

36.54%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

19.97%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

3.32%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$100 IQD 131.1K

-24.06%

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

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

9.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

-9.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

$22.10 IQD 28.9K

74.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

$21.90 IQD 28.7K

-22.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,776

$9.68 IQD 12.7K

-22.83%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$180 IQD 236.3K

-14.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

$3,281 IQD 4.3M

5.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

56.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

30.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

$26.54 IQD 34.7K

64.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

42.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 IQD 309.5K

$150 IQD 196.2K

57.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$87.6 IQD 114.7K

102.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.2K

$267 IQD 349.3K

115.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.5K

$282 IQD 368.8K

24.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 IQD 1.1M

$792 IQD 1.0M

4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 IQD 748.3K

$913 IQD 1.2M

-37.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 IQD 753.3K

$489 IQD 640.2K

17.66%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mosul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Sulaymaniyah versus $150 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 18% 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: $184 vs $147 – 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: $752 in Sulaymaniyah, $632 in Mosul – roughly 19% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,128 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $948 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 $752 in Sulaymaniyah and $632 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 229% 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 $752 in Sulaymaniyah and $632 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.