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: $735 in Al-mawsil versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Al-mawsil versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,460 in Al-mawsil versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 14% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 45% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.50 IQD 9,825

$1.96 ฿64.0

282.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$18.81 ฿615

-34.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 IQD 7,402

$7.92 ฿259

-28.66%

Cappuccino

$0.73 IQD 959

$1.91 ฿62.6

-61.78%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.84 ฿27.41

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 235

$0.35 ฿11.51

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 IQD 1,242

$2.21 ฿72.1

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,986

$3.80 ฿124

-60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 IQD 1,177

$1.64 ฿53.5

-45.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 989

$1.62 ฿53.1

-53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$1.18 ฿38.62

-10.17%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,521

$2.01 ฿65.8

-4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 IQD 9,583

$15.89 ฿520

-54.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,327

$3.01 ฿98.5

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 IQD 9,122

$10.77 ฿352

-35.38%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,185

$2.61 ฿85.5

-65.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 IQD 1,173

$1.22 ฿39.88

-26.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 IQD 1,055

$1.70 ฿55.7

-52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 516

$1.58 ฿51.5

-75.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 501

$1.32 ฿43.14

-71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 596

$1.17 ฿38.23

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 IQD 625

$0.67 ฿21.98

-28.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 640

$0.56 ฿18.32

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,583

$4.53 ฿148

-56.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 IQD 16.2K

$18.20 ฿595

-31.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,874

$1.83 ฿60.0

-21.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$3.23 ฿106

-40.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.89 ฿29.00

-59.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

$19.38 ฿634

61.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 IQD 2,759

$1.35 ฿44.20

56.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 IQD 2,693

$1.35 ฿44.05

52.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 IQD 4,265

$8.25 ฿270

-60.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 429

$1.27 ฿41.64

-74.02%

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

$15.0K IQD 19.7M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-28.95%

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

$17.9K IQD 23.5M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-20.18%

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

$100 IQD 131.3K

$70.2 ฿2,294

42.88%

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

$17.45 IQD 22.9K

$13.77 ฿450

26.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

$17.60 ฿575

51.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.52 IQD 30.8K

$41.57 ฿1,360

-43.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 IQD 24.4K

$6.60 ฿216

182.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 IQD 14.6K

$5.78 ฿189

93.25%

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

$200 IQD 261.6K

$306 ฿10.0K

-34.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$699 IQD 916.2K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-95.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.26 IQD 18.7K

$54.4 ฿1,778

-73.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.36 IQD 22.7K

$26.14 ฿855

-33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 IQD 109.6K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.20 IQD 25.2K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-72.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.4K

$424 ฿13.9K

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.0K

$238 ฿7,788

-26.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 IQD 769.8K

$825 ฿27.0K

-28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 455.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

-32.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,987 IQD 2.6M

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-3.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,490 IQD 2.0M

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-2.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 IQD 789.0K

$635 ฿20.8K

-5.19%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Al-mawsil and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 $149 vs $243 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Al-mawsil versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Al-mawsil versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% 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 16% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.