Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Oral Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Oral

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $739 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,178 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,107 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,475 in Oral, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 6% more than Oral, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Oral are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 43% lower, Oral 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 IQD 5,898

$8.55 ₸3,835

-47.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 IQD 30.5K

$34.83 ₸15.6K

-33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 IQD 9,261

$8.59 ₸3,849

-17.69%

Cappuccino

$2.43 IQD 3,183

$1.92 ₸861

26.56%

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

$0.45 IQD 593

$1.02 ₸458

-55.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.64 ₸285

-67.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 IQD 6,159

$0.86 ₸384

446.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 IQD 3,048

$1.96 ₸876

18.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,740

$1.48 ₸663

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,283

$0.46 ₸208

113.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 IQD 2,507

$1.70 ₸763

12.35%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.54 ₸689

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.95 IQD 6,477

$9.02 ₸4,046

-45.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 IQD 4,645

$4.39 ₸1,969

-19.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 IQD 20.6K

$11.03 ₸4,945

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,723

$1.25 ₸562

5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,701

$2.01 ₸903

-35.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,500

$2.30 ₸1,031

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 911

$3.44 ₸1,542

-79.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.43 ₸193

27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$0.35 ₸158

97.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 890

$0.67 ₸302

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 689

$1.10 ₸492

-51.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 IQD 3,218

$2.18 ₸979

12.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 IQD 15.2K

$7.76 ₸3,477

49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$0.65 ₸290

187.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 IQD 2,232

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.21 ₸93.8

161.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.88 IQD 30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,045

$0.68 ₸306

242.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,936

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 IQD 7,168

$5.43 ₸2,436

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 944

$0.60 ₸268

20.00%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$30.8K ₸13.8M

-38.16%

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

$101 IQD 131.6K

$83.9 ₸37.6K

19.77%

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

$10.98 IQD 14.4K

$8.80 ₸3,947

24.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 IQD 37.3K

$14.70 ₸6,591

93.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 IQD 47.1K

$55.6 ₸24.9K

-35.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.18 IQD 26.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 IQD 9,871

$3.29 ₸1,474

129.18%

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

$176 IQD 231.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,879 IQD 3.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

$33.89 ₸15.2K

-42.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.44 IQD 33.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.51 IQD 55.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.09 IQD 49.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 IQD 296.1K

$280 ₸125.6K

-19.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 IQD 226.6K

$212 ₸95.0K

-18.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 IQD 662.0K

$454 ₸203.4K

11.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 IQD 474.9K

$312 ₸139.9K

16.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$831 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.1K

$433 ₸194.0K

33.96%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Oral: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Sulaymaniyah versus $280 in Oral. 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 34% 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 $35.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $196 – making Sulaymaniyah 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 Oral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,171 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,109 in Oral. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Sulaymaniyah – 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $35.00 in Oral. 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 $780 in Sulaymaniyah and $739 in Oral, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Oral – 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 Oral. 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.