Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Tikrit Cost of Living Comparison Between Sulaymaniyah and Tikrit

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Sulaymaniyah versus $747 in Tikrit.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,153 in Tikrit.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,558 in Tikrit.

Monthly costs are close between Sulaymaniyah and Tikrit; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,893

$4.11 IQD 5,379

27.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

7.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 IQD 9,180

$6.82 IQD 8,935

2.79%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,461

$2.65 IQD 3,473

-0.38%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.36 IQD 478

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.18 IQD 237

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,713

$2.98 IQD 3,910

-30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,549

$2.81 IQD 3,674

-3.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$1.32 IQD 1,731

6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$0.85 IQD 1,110

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,108

$1.60 IQD 2,092

0.63%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,328

$1.79 IQD 2,345

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 IQD 7,996

$4.58 IQD 6,000

33.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,666

$4.62 IQD 6,058

-22.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

6.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$1.15 IQD 1,505

1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,693

$1.20 IQD 1,574

7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.06 IQD 1,387

19.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 957

$0.70 IQD 923

4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$0.70 IQD 914

-12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$0.63 IQD 828

6.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 777

$0.66 IQD 871

-10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$0.51 IQD 674

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$1.96 IQD 2,566

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,974

$1.86 IQD 2,434

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,367

$2.07 IQD 2,715

-12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.39 IQD 515

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

$31.07 IQD 40.7K

-25.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$2.35 IQD 3,078

0.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,053

$1.53 IQD 2,000

52.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 IQD 7,149

$5.97 IQD 7,817

-8.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 IQD 1,005

$0.54 IQD 706

42.59%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

5.16%

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

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

2.31%

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

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

$78.2 IQD 102.4K

-2.01%

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

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

-5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$34.16 IQD 44.7K

-23.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

$37.04 IQD 48.5K

7.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

$16.99 IQD 22.3K

-0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,786

$7.52 IQD 9,856

-0.66%

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

$151 IQD 198.3K

$154 IQD 201.9K

-1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

$3,253 IQD 4.3M

7.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

-12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

$62.4 IQD 81.7K

-29.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$41.91 IQD 54.9K

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 315.0K

$247 IQD 323.5K

-2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.3K

0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 749.5K

$570 IQD 746.1K

0.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.3K

$339 IQD 444.6K

0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.5K

$341 IQD 446.2K

70.22%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Tikrit: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sulaymaniyah and $247 in Tikrit. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 70% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $25.00 in Tikrit for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $158 per month, with Tikrit cheaper across the board.

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 Tikrit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah pays 70% 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: $240 in Sulaymaniyah versus $247 in Tikrit. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $151 in Sulaymaniyah versus $154 in Tikrit. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tikrit – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Tikrit 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 Tikrit are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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