Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $631 per month in An Najaf vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $969 per month in An Najaf vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,308 per month in An Najaf vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

An Najaf is about 32% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 54% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 IQD 5,867

$2.08 ฿69.5

115.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

$19.61 ฿655

17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 IQD 6,589

$5.67 ฿189

-11.29%

Cappuccino

$2.57 IQD 3,360

$1.81 ฿60.3

41.99%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.77 ฿25.65

-49.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.35 ฿11.53

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.21 ฿73.9

74.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 IQD 2,587

$3.79 ฿127

-47.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 IQD 1,341

$2.05 ฿68.4

-50.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,095

$1.51 ฿50.6

-44.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.40 ฿46.69

7.86%

Eggs

$1.73 IQD 2,263

$2.26 ฿75.4

-23.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.78 IQD 4,954

$16.19 ฿540

-76.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,035

$2.90 ฿96.7

58.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 IQD 13.6K

$9.42 ฿314

10.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,528

$2.68 ฿89.4

-56.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.09 ฿36.37

-0.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,330

$1.62 ฿54.0

-37.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 954

$1.46 ฿48.74

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 855

$1.28 ฿42.65

-49.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$1.06 ฿35.31

-33.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 816

$0.72 ฿23.94

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 IQD 645

$0.53 ฿17.56

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 IQD 2,120

$4.23 ฿141

-61.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$18.29 ฿611

-24.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,900

$1.63 ฿54.4

35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,888

$2.90 ฿96.8

-23.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 461

$0.88 ฿29.32

-60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 IQD 1,990

$1.17 ฿39.14

29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,032

$0.58 ฿19.30

167.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 IQD 7,107

$2.39 ฿79.6

127.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 IQD 578

$1.45 ฿48.41

-69.66%

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

$12.1K IQD 15.9M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

-42.23%

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

$18.1K IQD 23.7M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-31.55%

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

$38.48 IQD 50.4K

$63.7 ฿2,125

-39.54%

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

$17.19 IQD 22.5K

$12.89 ฿430

33.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.50 IQD 47.8K

$20.52 ฿685

77.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.23 IQD 38.3K

$39.02 ฿1,302

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 IQD 12.1K

$6.58 ฿220

41.03%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$784 ฿26.2K

-78.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$914 IQD 1.2M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-93.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.19 IQD 21.2K

$55.1 ฿1,840

-70.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

$24.74 ฿826

7.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 IQD 93.5K

$94.1 ฿3,142

-24.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.55 IQD 61.0K

$74.0 ฿2,469

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 IQD 338.1K

$490 ฿16.4K

-47.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 IQD 183.5K

$288 ฿9,620

-51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 IQD 448.6K

$891 ฿29.8K

-61.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 IQD 265.8K

$521 ฿17.4K

-61.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,237 IQD 1.6M

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-37.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$488 IQD 639.3K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-66.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 IQD 951.3K

$602 ฿20.1K

20.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.57

-26.03%

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

Last update for An Najaf: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in An Najaf versus $490 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.

Salaries run about 21% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in An Najaf vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so An Najaf 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

An Najaf vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $946 per month in An Najaf and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $631 in An Najaf and $932 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $165 per month in An Najaf and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $631 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 An Najaf. 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.