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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $738 per month in Al Kut vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,140 per month in Al Kut vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Al Kut vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Kut is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 IQD 5,412

$1.94 ฿63.5

112.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

$18.64 ฿609

35.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$7.82 ฿255

-10.23%

Cappuccino

$2.57 IQD 3,364

$1.95 ฿63.8

31.79%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.85 ฿27.77

-57.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 268

$0.35 ฿11.58

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 IQD 3,768

$2.13 ฿69.6

35.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,687

$3.73 ฿122

-24.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,773

$1.71 ฿56.0

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,012

$1.63 ฿53.2

-52.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 IQD 2,034

$1.14 ฿37.15

35.96%

Eggs

$1.53 IQD 2,004

$1.93 ฿63.1

-20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 IQD 6,046

$16.21 ฿530

-71.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 IQD 4,654

$3.12 ฿102

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 IQD 17.0K

$10.90 ฿356

19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,124

$2.75 ฿90.0

-68.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,385

$1.21 ฿39.52

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$1.62 ฿53.0

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$1.59 ฿51.8

-52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 899

$1.40 ฿45.70

-50.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 890

$1.17 ฿38.17

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 818

$0.66 ฿21.60

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 731

$0.53 ฿17.22

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$4.69 ฿153

-58.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,824

$3.23 ฿106

-33.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.90 ฿29.26

-56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

$19.21 ฿628

59.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,088

$1.41 ฿45.91

67.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,033

$1.29 ฿42.12

20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 IQD 7,748

$7.84 ฿256

-24.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 737

$1.27 ฿41.58

-55.91%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-9.68%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-9.30%

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

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$69.1 ฿2,256

10.82%

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

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

$14.08 ฿460

24.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.63 IQD 45.3K

$18.00 ฿588

92.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.05 IQD 47.2K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-12.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

$6.96 ฿227

145.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$5.92 ฿193

32.60%

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

$149 IQD 195.3K

$299 ฿9,766

-50.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,277 IQD 4.3M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-78.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-50.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

$26.77 ฿874

-7.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 IQD 81.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-27.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.71 IQD 54.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.1K

$428 ฿14.0K

-44.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$237 ฿7,752

-23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 IQD 746.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

-28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

-32.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$990 IQD 1.3M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-49.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.8K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-65.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿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 Al Kut: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Al Kut versus $428 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 Al Kut versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Al Kut vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Al Kut 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $738 in Al Kut, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 17% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,107 per month in Al Kut and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 67% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al Kut and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $738 in Al Kut and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $738 in Al Kut to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Al Kut. 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.