Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sulaymaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sulaymaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $750 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 58% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$5.26 IQD 6,895

111.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

60.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$7.01 IQD 9,182

17.26%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.64 IQD 3,461

18.56%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.39 IQD 514

89.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.21 IQD 269

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.07 IQD 2,714

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.71 IQD 3,550

10.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.41 IQD 1,851

34.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.02 IQD 1,332

-28.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.61 IQD 2,109

14.91%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.78 IQD 2,329

37.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$6.10 IQD 7,998

28.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$3.56 IQD 4,667

75.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-30.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$1.17 IQD 1,532

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.29 IQD 1,694

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.27 IQD 1,662

40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.73 IQD 957

217.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.61 IQD 798

16.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.67 IQD 879

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.59 IQD 777

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.45 IQD 590

57.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$1.94 IQD 2,536

50.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

-37.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.51 IQD 1,975

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.81 IQD 2,367

27.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.55 IQD 715

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

-36.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-37.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$5.46 IQD 7,150

36.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.77 IQD 1,006

49.35%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-11.35%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

-3.55%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$76.6 IQD 100.4K

-4.13%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

-31.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

-32.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

52.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

-2.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$7.47 IQD 9,788

-12.85%

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

$263 ₾707

$151 IQD 198.4K

73.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

47.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

232.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

78.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

169.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

213.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$240 IQD 315.0K

188.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$175 IQD 229.4K

164.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$572 IQD 749.7K

133.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$341 IQD 446.4K

128.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$810 IQD 1.1M

212.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$579 IQD 758.5K

146.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$580 IQD 759.7K

9.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

32.11%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $240 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $184 per month, with Sulaymaniyah 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

Tbilisi vs Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 9% 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $240 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $750 in Sulaymaniyah – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $750 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sulaymaniyah but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Sulaymaniyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sulaymaniyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Sulaymaniyah 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 58% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.