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: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $749 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $1,184 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $1,619 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 57% 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

$11.09 ₾29.35

$5.41 IQD 7,088

104.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

63.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$7.04 IQD 9,215

21.45%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.58 IQD 3,381

15.12%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.37 IQD 483

105.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.18 IQD 231

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$2.07 IQD 2,715

7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$2.68 IQD 3,506

8.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$1.48 IQD 1,939

33.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$1.01 IQD 1,329

-27.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$1.61 IQD 2,108

13.04%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.71 IQD 2,243

45.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$6.09 IQD 7,980

25.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$3.42 IQD 4,483

83.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-31.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$1.23 IQD 1,605

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$1.29 IQD 1,685

27.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$1.32 IQD 1,734

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$0.70 IQD 913

224.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$0.63 IQD 824

6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.64 IQD 835

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$0.56 IQD 728

117.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.48 IQD 629

45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$1.87 IQD 2,443

56.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-31.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$1.56 IQD 2,049

-0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$1.83 IQD 2,400

21.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.55 IQD 721

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

-35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-38.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$2.24 IQD 2,934

-69.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$5.43 IQD 7,109

35.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$0.73 IQD 955

56.16%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-10.81%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

-3.50%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$76.1 IQD 99.7K

-3.28%

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$16.53 IQD 21.7K

-29.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

-34.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

54.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

$17.13 IQD 22.4K

-1.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-14.67%

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

$264 ₾699

$149 IQD 195.7K

76.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

46.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$23.67 IQD 31.0K

217.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

70.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

169.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$35.54 IQD 46.5K

213.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

$239 IQD 313.4K

194.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

$176 IQD 230.4K

162.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

$574 IQD 751.0K

129.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

$350 IQD 458.1K

123.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,517

$816 IQD 1.1M

201.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,727

$588 IQD 769.5K

139.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,779

$574 IQD 752.3K

17.04%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $706 in Tbilisi and $239 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 17% 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 $26.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $183 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 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 17% 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: $706 in Tbilisi versus $239 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 $26.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,178 per month in Tbilisi versus $749 in Sulaymaniyah – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $749 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,178 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 57% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.