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: $720 in Al-mawsil versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,071 in Al-mawsil versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,422 in Al-mawsil versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 16% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 46% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.88 IQD 10.3K

$2.04 ฿68.2

286.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.14 IQD 15.9K

$18.71 ฿624

-35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 IQD 7,296

$7.86 ฿262

-29.13%

Cappuccino

$0.80 IQD 1,051

$2.03 ฿67.7

-60.59%

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

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.80 ฿26.64

-51.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 214

$0.35 ฿11.68

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 IQD 1,301

$2.14 ฿71.5

-53.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 IQD 2,030

$3.67 ฿122

-57.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 IQD 1,172

$1.73 ฿57.6

-47.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 IQD 994

$1.57 ฿52.4

-51.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,383

$1.20 ฿39.99

-11.67%

Eggs

$1.95 IQD 2,559

$1.97 ฿65.8

-1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 IQD 9,791

$16.23 ฿541

-53.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 IQD 4,232

$3.06 ฿102

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 IQD 9,070

$10.80 ฿360

-35.83%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$2.77 ฿92.3

-69.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,139

$1.17 ฿38.94

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,015

$1.71 ฿57.0

-54.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 511

$1.59 ฿53.2

-75.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 505

$1.39 ฿46.51

-71.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 IQD 548

$1.16 ฿38.56

-63.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 677

$0.66 ฿22.05

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 650

$0.52 ฿17.31

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 IQD 2,622

$4.65 ฿155

-56.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 IQD 16.3K

$17.78 ฿593

-29.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,867

$1.79 ฿59.6

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$3.34 ฿111

-41.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 474

$0.91 ฿30.27

-60.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

$18.64 ฿622

66.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 IQD 2,866

$1.41 ฿47.04

55.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 IQD 2,604

$1.34 ฿44.70

48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 IQD 4,303

$8.11 ฿270

-59.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 IQD 425

$1.23 ฿41.16

-73.98%

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

$15.5K IQD 20.2M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-27.88%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-18.33%

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

$102 IQD 134.0K

$71.3 ฿2,379

43.46%

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

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

$14.01 ฿467

27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.91 IQD 35.2K

$17.93 ฿598

50.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.79 IQD 31.2K

$40.82 ฿1,362

-41.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 IQD 24.5K

$6.88 ฿230

171.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 IQD 14.6K

$5.72 ฿191

94.93%

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

$196 IQD 257.2K

$308 ฿10.3K

-36.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$696 IQD 911.7K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-95.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.02 IQD 18.4K

$55.8 ฿1,860

-74.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.43 IQD 22.8K

$26.04 ฿869

-33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 IQD 108.8K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.33 IQD 25.3K

$71.0 ฿2,368

-72.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.5K

$423 ฿14.1K

-42.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.1K

$242 ฿8,088

-25.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.6K

$797 ฿26.6K

-26.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 444.1K

$507 ฿16.9K

-33.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 IQD 786.5K

$595 ฿19.9K

0.94%

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-mawsil: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Al-mawsil and $423 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $244 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% 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: $243 in Al-mawsil versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Al-mawsil versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

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 18% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.