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 $718 per month in Al Kut vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,115 per month in Al Kut vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,511 per month in Al Kut vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Kut is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 46% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 IQD 5,200

$1.96 ฿65.7

102.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.91 IQD 32.6K

$18.35 ฿616

35.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 IQD 9,110

$7.48 ฿251

-6.95%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,407

$2.02 ฿67.7

28.71%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.85 ฿28.45

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 284

$0.36 ฿11.94

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 IQD 3,714

$2.14 ฿71.7

32.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,680

$3.59 ฿121

-21.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,806

$1.65 ฿55.4

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,047

$1.57 ฿52.6

-49.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 IQD 2,022

$1.19 ฿39.95

29.41%

Eggs

$1.60 IQD 2,089

$1.94 ฿65.0

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 IQD 5,720

$16.19 ฿544

-73.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 IQD 4,589

$2.99 ฿100

17.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

$10.94 ฿367

19.47%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,205

$2.71 ฿91.0

-66.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,319

$1.17 ฿39.18

-13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,125

$1.69 ฿56.6

-49.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 970

$1.60 ฿53.9

-53.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 906

$1.38 ฿46.45

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$1.20 ฿40.38

-44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 889

$0.67 ฿22.46

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 689

$0.56 ฿18.70

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,469

$4.64 ฿156

-59.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,431

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,706

$3.30 ฿111

-37.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.88 ฿29.63

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

$19.34 ฿649

61.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,082

$1.36 ฿45.82

72.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$1.34 ฿44.90

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 IQD 7,889

$8.21 ฿276

-26.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 740

$1.22 ฿41.11

-53.28%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-12.02%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-13.18%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$70.7 ฿2,372

7.27%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$14.04 ฿471

26.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.68 IQD 45.4K

$17.49 ฿587

98.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 IQD 49.0K

$42.15 ฿1,415

-11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

$6.88 ฿231

139.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 IQD 9,820

$5.92 ฿199

26.69%

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

$153 IQD 200.2K

$309 ฿10.4K

-50.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-77.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 IQD 35.1K

$55.8 ฿1,872

-51.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

$26.11 ฿877

-1.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

$83.0 ฿2,787

-26.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

$70.5 ฿2,365

-41.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

-44.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.0K

$239 ฿8,020

-25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.1K

$822 ฿27.6K

-29.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 456.6K

$512 ฿17.2K

-31.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,019 IQD 1.3M

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-46.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.7K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-65.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Al Kut 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al Kut versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Al Kut vs $243 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: $718 in Al Kut, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 20% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,077 per month in Al Kut 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 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 65% 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 $18.00 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 $718 in Al Kut and $861 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 $718 in Al Kut to $861 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.