Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $617 in Al-mawsil versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $827 in Al-mawsil versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,038 in Al-mawsil versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 34% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 55% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,891

$2.08 ฿69.2

262.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

$19.61 ฿652

-36.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 IQD 7,344

$5.67 ฿189

-1.06%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 981

$1.81 ฿60.0

-58.56%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.77 ฿25.55

-51.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 252

$0.35 ฿11.48

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 IQD 1,265

$2.21 ฿73.6

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$3.79 ฿126

-60.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 IQD 1,015

$2.05 ฿68.1

-61.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 959

$1.51 ฿50.4

-51.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 815

$1.40 ฿46.51

-55.71%

Eggs

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$2.26 ฿75.1

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

$16.19 ฿538

-50.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,551

$2.90 ฿96.3

20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

$9.42 ฿313

-2.12%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 956

$2.68 ฿89.1

-72.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 965

$1.09 ฿36.23

-32.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.62 ฿53.8

-62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 IQD 368

$1.46 ฿48.55

-80.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 IQD 425

$1.28 ฿42.48

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.06 ฿35.17

-65.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,028

$0.72 ฿23.85

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.53 ฿17.49

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,444

$4.23 ฿141

-55.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

$18.29 ฿608

-32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,210

$1.63 ฿54.2

3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,720

$2.90 ฿96.5

-28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.88 ฿29.20

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

$53.8 ฿1,788

-43.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 IQD 2,426

$1.17 ฿38.99

58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,382

$0.58 ฿19.22

213.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 IQD 5,945

$2.39 ฿79.3

89.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 430

$1.45 ฿48.22

-77.24%

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

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

-27.41%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-32.75%

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

$109 IQD 142.3K

$63.7 ฿2,116

70.75%

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

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

$12.89 ฿429

8.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

$20.52 ฿682

28.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

$39.02 ฿1,297

-41.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 IQD 9,736

$3.92 ฿130

89.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$6.58 ฿219

18.69%

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

$306 IQD 401.0K

$784 ฿26.1K

-60.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$688 IQD 900.4K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-95.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

$55.1 ฿1,833

-65.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$24.74 ฿823

-37.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

$94.1 ฿3,130

-25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

$74.0 ฿2,459

-75.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 148.3K

$490 ฿16.3K

-76.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

$288 ฿9,582

-73.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 IQD 393.7K

$891 ฿29.6K

-66.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 795.7K

$602 ฿20.0K

1.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.57

-54.58%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Al-mawsil and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $241 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

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-mawsil vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Al-mawsil, 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: $113 in Al-mawsil versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Al-mawsil versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.