Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Sinjar Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Sinjar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $754 in Sulaymaniyah versus $858 in Sinjar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,324 in Sinjar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,790 in Sinjar.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 12% less than in Sinjar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Sinjar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 IQD 7,116

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-30.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

18.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,958

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

-24.08%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$3.17 IQD 4,147

-16.40%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.52 IQD 683

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 280

$0.22 IQD 288

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 IQD 2,796

$2.03 IQD 2,656

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,395

$2.15 IQD 2,819

20.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,940

$1.34 IQD 1,754

10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,278

$0.84 IQD 1,102

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.88 IQD 2,457

-12.23%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,254

$1.96 IQD 2,568

-12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 IQD 7,697

$7.50 IQD 9,817

-21.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 IQD 4,702

$4.76 IQD 6,237

-24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

-0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,616

$1.15 IQD 1,509

6.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 IQD 1,626

$1.20 IQD 1,567

3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,725

$1.18 IQD 1,549

11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$0.76 IQD 991

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 877

$0.72 IQD 944

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$0.71 IQD 934

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.76 IQD 996

-27.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 633

$0.56 IQD 728

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,441

$2.71 IQD 3,554

-31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

$7.44 IQD 9,746

55.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.43 IQD 1,868

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,390

$1.94 IQD 2,540

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 730

$0.36 IQD 476

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

$30.77 IQD 40.3K

-25.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,086

$2.26 IQD 2,963

4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 IQD 3,010

$2.33 IQD 3,051

-1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 IQD 7,163

$6.70 IQD 8,771

-18.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 IQD 951

$0.69 IQD 910

5.80%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

7.82%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

0.93%

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

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

-22.55%

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

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

$17.92 IQD 23.5K

-6.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

$29.42 IQD 38.5K

-9.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

$36.11 IQD 47.3K

9.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,791

$11.43 IQD 15.0K

-34.56%

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

$151 IQD 197.1K

$272 IQD 356.0K

-44.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

$3,300 IQD 4.3M

5.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

$33.41 IQD 43.7K

-28.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

$48.81 IQD 63.9K

-47.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

$81.6 IQD 106.8K

-46.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

$78.2 IQD 102.4K

-54.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 305.9K

$240 IQD 314.5K

-2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.5K

$176 IQD 231.1K

0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.3K

$586 IQD 766.7K

-2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 443.0K

$348 IQD 456.0K

-2.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$803 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$582 IQD 762.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.3K

$233 IQD 305.4K

145.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

58.73%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Sulaymaniyah and $240 in Sinjar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 145% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27 in Sulaymaniyah vs $23 in Sinjar. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $187, with Sulaymaniyah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sinjar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Sinjar differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($754 vs $858 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sulaymaniyah pays 145% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $234 in Sulaymaniyah versus $240 in Sinjar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $151 in Sulaymaniyah versus $272 in Sinjar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Sinjar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sulaymaniyah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sulaymaniyah and Sinjar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Sinjar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.