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: $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $875 in Sinjar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,353 in Sinjar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,832 in Sinjar.

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 15% less than in Sinjar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Sinjar 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,963

$7.63 IQD 9,980

-30.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$23.24 IQD 30.4K

16.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,030

$8.59 IQD 11.2K

-19.67%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,345

$3.15 IQD 4,120

-18.73%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.52 IQD 680

-28.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$0.22 IQD 288

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,680

$1.92 IQD 2,516

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,450

$2.14 IQD 2,798

23.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,860

$1.31 IQD 1,719

8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,276

$0.86 IQD 1,131

13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,170

$1.79 IQD 2,340

-7.26%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,296

$1.98 IQD 2,584

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,589

$7.49 IQD 9,791

-22.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,496

$4.67 IQD 6,103

-26.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$14.33 IQD 18.7K

-0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,605

$1.18 IQD 1,545

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,633

$1.14 IQD 1,486

9.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,643

$1.14 IQD 1,490

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.77 IQD 1,005

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$0.71 IQD 935

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$0.70 IQD 915

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 710

$0.78 IQD 1,017

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.56 IQD 739

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,467

$2.71 IQD 3,544

-30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

51.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,069

$1.43 IQD 1,864

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,270

$2.00 IQD 2,615

-13.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 723

$0.40 IQD 519

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-27.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,945

$2.37 IQD 3,098

-5.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,925

$2.21 IQD 2,896

1.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,025

$7.00 IQD 9,156

-23.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 984

$0.69 IQD 904

8.70%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

7.23%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

-0.88%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.3K

$103 IQD 134.1K

-25.96%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

-8.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$30.28 IQD 39.6K

-14.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 51.9K

$37.34 IQD 48.8K

6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$16.88 IQD 22.1K

0.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

-30.47%

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

$154 IQD 201.1K

$269 IQD 351.3K

-42.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$3,305 IQD 4.3M

7.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$32.90 IQD 43.0K

-26.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$49.60 IQD 64.9K

-49.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$82.3 IQD 107.7K

-47.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

-53.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$240 IQD 314.4K

-1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.7K

$178 IQD 232.8K

1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 743.8K

$585 IQD 765.5K

-2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.0K

$339 IQD 442.8K

1.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 767.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 734.7K

$229 IQD 299.0K

145.70%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sinjar: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $240 in Sinjar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 146% 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 $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 18% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $875 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sulaymaniyah pays 146% 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: $237 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 $269 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 18% less than in Sinjar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.