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: $761 in Sulaymaniyah versus $862 in Sinjar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,182 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,355 in Sinjar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,603 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,848 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 43% lower, Sinjar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,866

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$22.81 IQD 29.8K

18.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,257

$8.97 IQD 11.7K

-21.07%

Cappuccino

$2.66 IQD 3,481

$3.13 IQD 4,089

-15.02%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.52 IQD 682

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 216

$0.20 IQD 261

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,687

$1.91 IQD 2,502

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,394

$2.12 IQD 2,768

22.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,931

$1.32 IQD 1,728

12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,329

$0.84 IQD 1,099

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,170

$1.90 IQD 2,479

-12.63%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,260

$1.91 IQD 2,496

-9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 IQD 7,838

$7.20 IQD 9,413

-16.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$4.80 IQD 6,280

-28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

$14.11 IQD 18.5K

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,543

$1.19 IQD 1,563

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,633

$1.16 IQD 1,517

7.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,674

$1.19 IQD 1,553

7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 960

$0.81 IQD 1,060

-9.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$0.67 IQD 872

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 839

$0.69 IQD 908

-7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 771

$0.78 IQD 1,024

-24.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 630

$0.56 IQD 732

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$2.66 IQD 3,481

-29.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 IQD 14.8K

$7.84 IQD 10.2K

44.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$1.39 IQD 1,820

13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,284

$2.00 IQD 2,619

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.36 IQD 474

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.2K

$31.07 IQD 40.6K

-25.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$2.37 IQD 3,097

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,051

$2.33 IQD 3,042

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 IQD 7,044

$6.69 IQD 8,756

-19.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 983

$0.65 IQD 851

15.38%

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

$21.1K IQD 27.5M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

9.67%

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

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

3.66%

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

$78.8 IQD 103.1K

$98.9 IQD 129.4K

-20.34%

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

$16.77 IQD 21.9K

$17.70 IQD 23.1K

-5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.39 IQD 34.5K

$30.29 IQD 39.6K

-12.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 IQD 51.0K

$36.78 IQD 48.1K

6.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.49 IQD 21.6K

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

-1.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$11.45 IQD 15.0K

-31.79%

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

$154 IQD 201.5K

$268 IQD 350.7K

-42.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 IQD 4.6M

$3,315 IQD 4.3M

6.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$33.21 IQD 43.4K

-29.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.55 IQD 33.4K

$48.40 IQD 63.3K

-47.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.24 IQD 57.9K

$81.2 IQD 106.2K

-45.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.79 IQD 48.1K

$76.1 IQD 99.5K

-51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 IQD 307.4K

$240 IQD 313.8K

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.0K

$181 IQD 237.3K

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.9K

$590 IQD 771.7K

-3.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.2K

$341 IQD 445.6K

1.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$584 IQD 764.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 758.5K

$226 IQD 295.1K

157.01%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Sulaymaniyah and $240 in Sinjar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $23.00 in Sinjar. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $186, 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 13% in total monthly costs ($761 vs $862 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 157% higher in Sulaymaniyah, 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: $235 in Sulaymaniyah versus $240 in Sinjar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $268 in Sinjar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% 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 13% less than in Sinjar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.