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 $677 per month in An Najaf vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $997 per month in An Najaf vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,317 per month in An Najaf vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

An Najaf is about 22% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 50% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 IQD 5,251

$1.98 ฿64.3

102.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 IQD 30.4K

$18.80 ฿612

23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 IQD 6,311

$7.75 ฿252

-37.81%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 3,500

$1.92 ฿62.5

39.06%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.79 ฿25.79

-54.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.36 ฿11.62

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 IQD 4,462

$2.21 ฿72.1

54.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,840

$3.66 ฿119

-19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,804

$1.65 ฿53.8

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,021

$1.63 ฿53.2

-52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$1.19 ฿38.86

31.93%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,258

$2.00 ฿65.1

-14.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.38 IQD 3,121

$15.98 ฿520

-85.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,281

$3.03 ฿98.5

58.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 IQD 13.8K

$10.86 ฿354

-3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,658

$2.76 ฿90.0

-53.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,513

$1.18 ฿38.42

-1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.64 ฿53.5

-35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 963

$1.52 ฿49.51

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$1.38 ฿45.10

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$1.19 ฿38.84

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 806

$0.70 ฿22.86

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.56 ฿18.13

-33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,951

$4.58 ฿149

-67.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$16.56 ฿539

-17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,404

$1.83 ฿59.5

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,719

$3.20 ฿104

-35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.88 ฿28.56

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

$18.72 ฿610

85.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 IQD 2,515

$1.36 ฿44.16

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$1.34 ฿43.65

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 IQD 6,398

$7.84 ฿256

-37.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 IQD 632

$1.23 ฿39.92

-60.98%

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

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-46.37%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-12.87%

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

$59.8 IQD 78.3K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.28%

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

$22.94 IQD 30.0K

$13.68 ฿445

67.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 IQD 45.2K

$17.45 ฿568

97.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 IQD 19.7K

$6.96 ฿227

116.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 IQD 10.0K

$5.77 ฿188

32.93%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$307 ฿10.0K

-46.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-93.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.27 IQD 21.3K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-70.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$26.21 ฿854

-2.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 IQD 84.8K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-24.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.71 IQD 55.9K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

-44.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.4K

$239 ฿7,774

-44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 IQD 501.1K

$817 ฿26.6K

-53.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 IQD 198.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

-70.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,276 IQD 1.7M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-35.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$480 IQD 628.7K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-67.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 IQD 984.2K

$619 ฿20.2K

21.46%

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 An Najaf: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in An Najaf versus $430 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 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 28% 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 $1,016 per month in An Najaf and $1,303 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 $677 in An Najaf and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in An Najaf and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $677 versus $869 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.