Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in 'aqrah vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

'aqrah is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both 'aqrah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – 'aqrah 44% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 IQD 5,286

$1.98 ฿64.3

104.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

$18.80 ฿612

31.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,959

$7.75 ฿252

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,410

$1.92 ฿62.5

35.42%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.79 ฿25.79

-54.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 218

$0.36 ฿11.62

-52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 IQD 3,697

$2.21 ฿72.1

27.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,741

$3.66 ฿119

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,739

$1.65 ฿53.8

-19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$1.63 ฿53.2

-48.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$1.19 ฿38.86

34.45%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,372

$2.00 ฿65.1

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.57 IQD 5,989

$15.98 ฿520

-71.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 IQD 6,266

$3.03 ฿98.5

57.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

$10.86 ฿354

22.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,558

$2.76 ฿90.0

-56.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,585

$1.18 ฿38.42

2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,388

$1.64 ฿53.5

-35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 974

$1.52 ฿49.51

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 912

$1.38 ฿45.10

-49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 885

$1.19 ฿38.84

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 823

$0.70 ฿22.86

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 690

$0.56 ฿18.13

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$4.58 ฿149

-56.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$1.83 ฿59.5

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,832

$3.20 ฿104

-32.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.88 ฿28.56

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.75 IQD 41.6K

$18.72 ฿610

69.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,954

$1.36 ฿44.16

66.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 IQD 1,959

$1.34 ฿43.65

11.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 IQD 8,065

$7.84 ฿256

-21.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 702

$1.23 ฿39.92

-56.10%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-12.78%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-12.04%

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

$78.7 IQD 103.1K

$70.5 ฿2,298

11.57%

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

$17.29 IQD 22.6K

$13.68 ฿445

26.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

$17.45 ฿568

98.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-11.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.65 IQD 21.8K

$6.96 ฿227

139.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$5.77 ฿188

35.36%

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

$149 IQD 195.7K

$307 ฿10.0K

-51.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,313 IQD 4.3M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-77.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-50.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.89 IQD 32.6K

$26.21 ฿854

-5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-29.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.61 IQD 53.2K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-43.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 IQD 320.2K

$430 ฿14.0K

-43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.7K

$239 ฿7,774

-26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 IQD 747.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

-30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 458.5K

$511 ฿16.6K

-31.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.40%

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

Last update for 'aqrah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in 'aqrah versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in 'aqrah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in 'aqrah vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so 'aqrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

'aqrah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,120 per month in 'aqrah and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in 'aqrah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in 'aqrah and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $747 in 'aqrah and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $747 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with 'aqrah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.