Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Sinjar

For one person, living is cheaper in Sinjar: $540 a month against $663 in Sulaymaniyah, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Sulaymaniyah
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Sulaymaniyah Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Sinjar
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Sinjar Living Index

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Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$663

/mo nomad

Sinjar

🇮🇶 Iraq

$540

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sulaymaniyah and in Sinjar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sulaymaniyah and in Sinjar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $663 in Sulaymaniyah versus $540 in Sinjar.

Sulaymaniyah $663
Sinjar $540

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,034 in Sulaymaniyah versus $842 in Sinjar.

Sulaymaniyah $1,034
Sinjar $842

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,406 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,145 in Sinjar.

Sulaymaniyah $1,406
Sinjar $1,145

Living in Sulaymaniyah is roughly 23% more expensive than in Sinjar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 51% lower, Sinjar 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 IQD 6,363

$4.07 IQD 6,152

3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 IQD 29.8K

$7.72 IQD 11.7K

155.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 IQD 8,916

$7.14 IQD 10.8K

-17.37%

Cappuccino

$2.45 IQD 3,702

$0.68 IQD 1,023

260.29%

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

$0.43 IQD 650

$0.34 IQD 519

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 302

$0.17 IQD 263

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 IQD 4,873

$0.97 IQD 1,470

231.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 3,080

$1.69 IQD 2,557

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,677

$0.69 IQD 1,041

60.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 IQD 1,339

$0.69 IQD 1,037

28.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,516

$0.63 IQD 955

163.49%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,345

$1.57 IQD 2,374

-1.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 IQD 6,509

$2.00 IQD 3,030

115.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 IQD 5,536

$4.05 IQD 6,124

-9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 IQD 20.1K

$10.39 IQD 15.7K

27.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 IQD 1,680

$0.69 IQD 1,037

60.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,646

$0.67 IQD 1,017

62.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,579

$0.63 IQD 952

65.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 843

$0.68 IQD 1,024

-17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 740

$0.65 IQD 977

-24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 957

$0.59 IQD 894

6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 883

$0.66 IQD 993

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 685

$0.32 IQD 477

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 IQD 3,049

$1.63 IQD 2,458

23.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 IQD 14.7K

$6.44 IQD 9,726

51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 IQD 2,509

$1.01 IQD 1,522

64.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 IQD 1,896

$1.63 IQD 2,466

-23.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 IQD 786

$0.30 IQD 456

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 IQD 29.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 IQD 2,904

$1.62 IQD 2,443

18.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 IQD 2,961

$1.53 IQD 2,318

28.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 IQD 6,774

$5.51 IQD 8,319

-18.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 865

$0.29 IQD 437

96.55%

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

$17.6K IQD 26.6M

$16.2K IQD 24.5M

8.38%

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

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

-0.96%

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

$85.2 IQD 128.7K

$39.11 IQD 59.1K

117.77%

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

$10.12 IQD 15.3K

$12.27 IQD 18.5K

-17.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 IQD 36.3K

$24.36 IQD 36.8K

-1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.78 IQD 51.0K

$37.27 IQD 56.3K

-9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.92 IQD 27.1K

$33.40 IQD 50.5K

-46.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 IQD 9,916

$9.76 IQD 14.7K

-32.79%

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

$153 IQD 231.1K

$292 IQD 441.8K

-47.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 IQD 3.8M

$2,747 IQD 4.2M

-7.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.75 IQD 25.3K

$10.19 IQD 15.4K

64.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.28 IQD 33.7K

$9.82 IQD 14.8K

126.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.83 IQD 55.7K

$59.4 IQD 89.7K

-37.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.01 IQD 49.9K

$58.8 IQD 88.8K

-43.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 IQD 282.6K

$211 IQD 318.4K

-11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 IQD 221.9K

$138 IQD 208.5K

6.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 IQD 632.8K

$412 IQD 623.1K

1.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 IQD 474.4K

$281 IQD 424.3K

11.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$695 IQD 1.1M

$733 IQD 1.1M

-5.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$548 IQD 828.2K

$552 IQD 834.2K

-0.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 IQD 757.3K

$197 IQD 297.0K

155.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

2.53

128.06%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Sulaymaniyah

$164 24.7%

Sinjar

$124 23% 24.2% $40

Accommodation & Living

Sulaymaniyah

$147 22.2%

Sinjar

$138 25.6% 6.1% $8.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sulaymaniyah

$119 18%

Sinjar

$76 14% 36.5% $44

Eating Out

Sulaymaniyah

$104 15.6%

Sinjar

$72 13.4% 30% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Sulaymaniyah

$49 7.4%

Sinjar

$62 11.5% 26.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Sulaymaniyah

$47 7.1%

Sinjar

$57 10.5% 21.1% $9.9

Getting Around

Sulaymaniyah

$34 5.1%

Sinjar

$11 * 1.9% 68.7% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Sulaymaniyah and $211 in Sinjar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays about 2.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $20 in Sulaymaniyah vs $8 in Sinjar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $124 per month, with Sinjar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Sulaymaniyah

🇮🇶 Sinjar

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

Same time as Sulaymaniyah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

823,199

88,023

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Sulaymaniyah Sinjar 330 km

From you

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 23% in total monthly costs ($663 vs $540 including rent). Sinjar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Sulaymaniyah is about 2.6 times higher, 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: $187 in Sulaymaniyah versus $211 in Sinjar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Sulaymaniyah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $663 per month in Sulaymaniyah versus $540 in Sinjar – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sinjar 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.

It comes down to priorities – Sinjar wins on affordability, Sulaymaniyah on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.