Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Diwaniyah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Diwaniyah and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $620 per month in Ad Diwaniyah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Ad Diwaniyah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,112 per month in Ad Diwaniyah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ad Diwaniyah is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ad Diwaniyah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ad Diwaniyah 54% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 IQD 3,813

$1.96 ฿65.9

48.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.64 IQD 15.2K

$18.35 ฿617

-36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 IQD 6,967

$7.48 ฿252

-28.88%

Cappuccino

$1.45 IQD 1,897

$2.02 ฿67.8

-28.22%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.85 ฿28.52

-56.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 258

$0.36 ฿11.97

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,841

$2.14 ฿71.9

36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,709

$3.59 ฿121

-21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 IQD 1,707

$1.65 ฿55.5

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 IQD 994

$1.57 ฿52.7

-51.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,706

$1.19 ฿40.05

9.24%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,260

$1.94 ฿65.1

-10.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 IQD 5,953

$16.19 ฿545

-71.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 IQD 6,350

$2.99 ฿101

62.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 IQD 13.2K

$10.94 ฿368

-8.14%

Apples (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$2.71 ฿91.2

-72.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,272

$1.17 ฿39.27

-17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,187

$1.69 ฿56.8

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.60 ฿54.0

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 907

$1.38 ฿46.56

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 882

$1.20 ฿40.47

-44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 IQD 637

$0.67 ฿22.51

-26.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 864

$0.56 ฿18.74

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,430

$4.64 ฿156

-59.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.77 IQD 4,942

$17.62 ฿593

-78.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,402

$1.86 ฿62.6

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,846

$3.30 ฿111

-34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.88 ฿29.70

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.48 IQD 41.2K

$19.34 ฿651

62.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$1.36 ฿45.92

51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 IQD 1,583

$1.34 ฿45.00

-9.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$8.21 ฿276

-4.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 IQD 500

$1.22 ฿41.20

-68.85%

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

$10.2K IQD 13.3M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-52.46%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-21.40%

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

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

$70.7 ฿2,378

-45.13%

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

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

$14.04 ฿472

20.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.49 IQD 50.4K

$17.49 ฿589

120.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-59.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.79 IQD 11.5K

$6.88 ฿231

27.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 IQD 7,263

$5.92 ฿199

-6.25%

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

$91.9 IQD 120.4K

$309 ฿10.4K

-70.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$750 IQD 981.8K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-94.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.36 IQD 26.7K

$55.8 ฿1,876

-63.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 IQD 39.8K

$26.11 ฿879

16.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.82 IQD 26.0K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-76.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.26 IQD 33.1K

$70.5 ฿2,371

-64.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 IQD 180.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

-68.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.2K

$239 ฿8,040

-24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 IQD 304.0K

$822 ฿27.7K

-71.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 IQD 262.1K

$512 ฿17.2K

-60.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 IQD 503.7K

$579 ฿19.5K

-33.61%

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 Ad Diwaniyah: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Ad Diwaniyah versus $432 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.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Ad Diwaniyah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $243 – making Ad Diwaniyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ad Diwaniyah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $930 per month in Ad Diwaniyah and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $91.9 per month in Ad Diwaniyah and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $620 in Ad Diwaniyah and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ad Diwaniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ad Diwaniyah. 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.