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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $653 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,170 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,030 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,407 in Mosul, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 17% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 IQD 5,959

$3.34 IQD 4,380

36.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

21.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,095

$6.23 IQD 8,156

11.40%

Cappuccino

$2.47 IQD 3,240

$1.62 IQD 2,118

52.47%

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

$0.46 IQD 596

$0.37 IQD 489

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 IQD 302

$0.17 IQD 226

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 IQD 5,865

$1.57 IQD 2,051

185.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,958

$1.56 IQD 2,043

44.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,803

$0.80 IQD 1,047

72.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 IQD 1,183

$0.80 IQD 1,045

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 IQD 2,546

$1.33 IQD 1,739

45.86%

Eggs

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$1.49 IQD 1,956

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.03 IQD 6,585

$3.59 IQD 4,707

40.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 IQD 4,682

$4.34 IQD 5,687

-17.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

$11.71 IQD 15.3K

37.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,707

$0.69 IQD 900

88.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,696

$1.07 IQD 1,401

21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$0.71 IQD 929

67.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 891

$0.53 IQD 692

28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$0.49 IQD 644

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 964

$0.44 IQD 582

68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 IQD 933

$0.39 IQD 515

82.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 651

$0.66 IQD 862

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 IQD 3,165

$1.88 IQD 2,463

28.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$1.96 IQD 2,564

-5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,185

$1.90 IQD 2,485

-12.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 782

$0.39 IQD 513

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

$75.4 IQD 98.7K

-69.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,046

$1.57 IQD 2,061

48.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 IQD 3,083

$1.48 IQD 1,944

58.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 IQD 7,198

$4.51 IQD 5,907

21.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 877

$0.50 IQD 661

34.00%

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$17.2K IQD 22.6M

18.85%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-6.17%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$88.0 IQD 115.3K

14.95%

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

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

-28.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

$34.00 IQD 44.5K

-15.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

$23.85 IQD 31.2K

50.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

$25.99 IQD 34.0K

-20.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$9.78 IQD 12.8K

-19.73%

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

$175 IQD 229.1K

$200 IQD 261.7K

-12.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

$3,569 IQD 4.7M

-18.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

59.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

$18.90 IQD 24.8K

33.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

60.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

47.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 306.0K

$162 IQD 212.7K

43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$114 IQD 149.7K

53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 672.3K

$281 IQD 368.5K

82.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 IQD 473.7K

$284 IQD 371.4K

27.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$812 IQD 1.1M

-1.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 751.4K

$927 IQD 1.2M

-38.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.1K

$477 IQD 624.2K

20.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mosul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Sulaymaniyah versus $162 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 20% 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $151 – 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: $765 in Sulaymaniyah, $653 in Mosul – roughly 17% apart. Sulaymaniyah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $980 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 $765 in Sulaymaniyah and $653 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 227% 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 $765 in Sulaymaniyah and $653 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.