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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $767 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,155 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,543 in Oral, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 3% cheaper than Oral, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Oral are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Oral 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$7.27 ₸3,552

-26.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$30.07 ₸14.7K

-10.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$7.32 ₸3,574

-5.74%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$1.64 ₸800

56.10%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.85 ₸416

-56.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.51 ₸251

-58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$0.81 ₸393

153.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$1.73 ₸845

52.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.30 ₸634

9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$0.40 ₸197

145.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.44 ₸705

15.28%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$1.35 ₸659

30.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$7.72 ₸3,772

-24.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$3.81 ₸1,861

-9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$9.84 ₸4,806

45.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.06 ₸518

16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.80 ₸877

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$2.03 ₸989

-37.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$2.94 ₸1,437

-76.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$0.37 ₸183

70.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$0.31 ₸152

106.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$0.63 ₸306

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$1.01 ₸494

-55.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$1.88 ₸918

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$7.08 ₸3,460

64.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$0.58 ₸283

172.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$1.59 ₸778

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.22 ₸106

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$0.61 ₸296

268.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$0.64 ₸310

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$4.58 ₸2,239

17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.50 ₸244

50.00%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.1K ₸9.8M

3.22%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$24.6K ₸12.0M

-16.14%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$72.6 ₸35.5K

4.54%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$8.00 ₸3,906

104.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$12.60 ₸6,153

106.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$69.2 ₸33.8K

-42.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$2.95 ₸1,440

166.10%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$209 ₸101.9K

-26.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$4,870 ₸2.4M

-27.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$29.20 ₸14.3K

-17.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$34.88 ₸17.0K

-28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$89.9 ₸43.9K

-52.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$76.8 ₸37.5K

-53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$252 ₸123.1K

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$186 ₸90.8K

-2.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$402 ₸196.4K

41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$273 ₸133.3K

26.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$398 ₸194.3K

41.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

-51.06%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Oral: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $252 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 41% higher in Sulaymaniyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $30.00 in Oral. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Sulaymaniyah vs $175 in Oral – so Oral wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Oral is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,116 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,151 in Oral. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $30.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Oral – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $744 in Sulaymaniyah and $767 in Oral, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – 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 Sulaymaniyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oral makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.