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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $761 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $753 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,176 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,156 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,558 in Oral, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah costs about 1% more than Oral, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 IQD 7,098

$7.39 ₸3,504

-26.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$30.68 ₸14.5K

-13.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,953

$7.49 ₸3,549

-8.68%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$1.69 ₸803

56.80%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.91 ₸433

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 256

$0.52 ₸244

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,681

$0.80 ₸381

156.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 IQD 3,529

$1.72 ₸813

56.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 IQD 1,913

$1.24 ₸589

17.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 IQD 1,295

$0.37 ₸176

167.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,105

$1.45 ₸686

11.03%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,244

$1.29 ₸611

32.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 IQD 7,920

$7.69 ₸3,647

-21.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 IQD 4,617

$3.88 ₸1,841

-9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 IQD 18.9K

$9.58 ₸4,541

50.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.11 ₸525

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$1.83 ₸869

-32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,671

$2.03 ₸961

-36.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$2.88 ₸1,364

-73.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$0.38 ₸179

76.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$0.29 ₸137

124.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.62 ₸296

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$1.01 ₸481

-55.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,543

$1.80 ₸854

7.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

$7.18 ₸3,406

61.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$0.58 ₸275

160.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 IQD 2,269

$1.54 ₸728

12.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.21 ₸99.6

161.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.59 IQD 29.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,966

$0.57 ₸269

298.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 IQD 2,986

$0.67 ₸320

240.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 IQD 6,828

$4.68 ₸2,218

11.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$0.46 ₸219

63.04%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$20.5K ₸9.7M

1.27%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.7M

$24.9K ₸11.8M

-15.05%

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

$77.5 IQD 101.5K

$73.4 ₸34.8K

5.49%

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

$16.80 IQD 22.0K

$7.92 ₸3,755

112.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 IQD 35.0K

$12.76 ₸6,049

109.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 IQD 50.5K

$67.4 ₸31.9K

-42.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 IQD 21.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$2.95 ₸1,399

153.56%

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

$150 IQD 196.2K

$212 ₸100.4K

-29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,550 IQD 4.6M

$4,864 ₸2.3M

-27.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.44 IQD 30.7K

$29.54 ₸14.0K

-20.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$35.28 ₸16.7K

-29.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.58 IQD 57.1K

$89.5 ₸42.4K

-51.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 IQD 47.5K

$78.7 ₸37.3K

-53.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 308.2K

$248 ₸117.5K

-5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.2K

$190 ₸90.1K

-5.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 IQD 744.4K

$393 ₸186.5K

44.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 IQD 445.3K

$269 ₸127.5K

26.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$820 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 753.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 IQD 746.9K

$415 ₸196.6K

37.54%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oral: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $248 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 38% 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 $31.00 in Oral. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Sulaymaniyah vs $174 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 – Sulaymaniyah is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,142 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,130 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah and $31.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Sulaymaniyah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $761 in Sulaymaniyah and $753 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.