Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Kufah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Kufah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Al Kufah versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,043 in Al Kufah versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Al Kufah versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 24% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kufah 51% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 IQD 7,142

$1.94 ฿63.5

180.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.32 IQD 47.6K

$18.64 ฿609

94.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 IQD 9,815

$7.82 ฿255

-4.09%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,990

$1.95 ฿63.8

56.41%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$0.85 ฿27.77

-54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 266

$0.35 ฿11.58

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 IQD 4,375

$2.13 ฿69.6

56.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,711

$3.73 ฿122

-24.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,454

$1.71 ฿56.0

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 IQD 861

$1.63 ฿53.2

-59.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 IQD 2,135

$1.14 ฿37.15

42.98%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,283

$1.93 ฿63.1

-9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.24 IQD 2,934

$16.21 ฿530

-86.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 IQD 4,038

$3.12 ฿102

-1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 IQD 13.3K

$10.90 ฿356

-6.61%

Apples (1kg)

$0.52 IQD 683

$2.75 ฿90.0

-81.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,209

$1.21 ฿39.52

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$1.62 ฿53.0

-56.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 646

$1.59 ฿51.8

-69.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 IQD 527

$1.40 ฿45.70

-71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 401

$1.17 ฿38.17

-73.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 884

$0.66 ฿21.60

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 545

$0.53 ฿17.22

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 IQD 2,566

$4.69 ฿153

-58.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

$18.66 ฿609

-26.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 IQD 2,388

$1.80 ฿58.8

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IQD 2,771

$3.23 ฿106

-34.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 488

$0.90 ฿29.26

-58.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

$19.21 ฿628

61.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,068

$1.41 ฿45.91

65.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,004

$1.29 ฿42.12

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$7.84 ฿256

-1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$1.27 ฿41.58

-57.48%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-5.82%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-11.56%

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

$40.32 IQD 52.8K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-41.62%

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

$26.29 IQD 34.4K

$14.08 ฿460

86.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

$18.00 ฿588

25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-37.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

$6.96 ฿227

137.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 IQD 9,724

$5.92 ฿193

25.51%

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

$87.4 IQD 114.4K

$299 ฿9,766

-70.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,386 IQD 3.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-84.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.39 IQD 28.0K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-60.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

$26.77 ฿874

14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.88 IQD 26.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-76.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-60.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 IQD 275.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

-50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.0K

$237 ฿7,752

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 IQD 555.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

-47.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 IQD 379.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-43.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,193 IQD 4.2M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

61.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,688 IQD 2.2M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

14.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 IQD 1.0M

$617 ฿20.2K

25.63%

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 Al Kufah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Al Kufah and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al Kufah vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $148 vs $246, with Al Kufah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Al Kufah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Kufah pays 26% 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: $210 in Al Kufah versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $656 per month in Al Kufah versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al Kufah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Al Kufah and Chiang Mai 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 Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.