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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $759 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Tbilisi versus $1,194 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,787 in Tbilisi versus $1,629 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 69% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 ₾30.42

$4.61 IQD 6,031

153.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₾98.4

$22.56 IQD 29.5K

67.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 ₾24.31

$6.95 IQD 9,096

34.39%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₾9.00

$2.36 IQD 3,091

46.19%

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

$1.09 ₾2.84

$0.46 IQD 603

136.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₾1.55

$0.23 IQD 302

156.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ₾7.35

$4.55 IQD 5,952

-38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₾9.71

$2.32 IQD 3,044

60.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₾5.71

$1.36 IQD 1,780

61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.97 IQD 1,265

-23.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.29

$1.91 IQD 2,507

-13.61%

Eggs

$2.76 ₾7.20

$1.74 IQD 2,276

58.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₾25.09

$5.04 IQD 6,595

91.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 ₾17.94

$3.44 IQD 4,504

100.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ₾34.23

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

-15.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.46

$1.33 IQD 1,741

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₾4.49

$1.25 IQD 1,642

37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.87

$1.15 IQD 1,512

62.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₾6.49

$0.70 IQD 920

255.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₾2.11

$0.58 IQD 763

39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.74 IQD 966

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.71 IQD 933

94.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₾1.94

$0.53 IQD 697

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.75

$2.37 IQD 3,100

41.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₾20.34

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

-32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₾4.34

$1.92 IQD 2,519

-13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₾6.10

$1.74 IQD 2,284

34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.56 IQD 728

-33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.56 ₾40.52

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

-31.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.97

$2.26 IQD 2,953

-49.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.03

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-65.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 ₾29.97

$5.20 IQD 6,808

121.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$0.65 IQD 856

104.62%

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

$24.8K ₾64.7K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

19.46%

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

$22.2K ₾57.8K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

15.75%

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

$90.3 ₾235

$102 IQD 133.2K

-11.22%

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

$13.19 ₾34.35

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

24.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 ₾51.4

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

-30.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₾173

$35.69 IQD 46.7K

85.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 ₾51.1

$19.99 IQD 26.2K

-1.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾17.53

$7.48 IQD 9,793

-10.03%

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

$356 ₾928

$176 IQD 230.6K

102.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₾27.6K

$2,882 IQD 3.8M

267.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

436.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 ₾103

$25.87 IQD 33.9K

53.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

162.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₾314

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

210.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,830

$228 IQD 298.0K

208.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,173

$176 IQD 230.2K

156.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₾3,321

$514 IQD 672.5K

148.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₾2,320

$361 IQD 472.4K

146.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,587

$827 IQD 1.1M

206.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 ₾3,818

$565 IQD 740.2K

159.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 ₾1,696

$571 IQD 747.4K

14.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

5.77

120.62%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 16, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $703 in Tbilisi and $228 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 14% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $188 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 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $703 in Tbilisi versus $228 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 $23.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $759 in Sulaymaniyah – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,279 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 69% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.