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 $675 per month in An Najaf vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,012 per month in An Najaf vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in An Najaf vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

An Najaf is about 21% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,235

$1.96 ฿63.6

104.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

$18.81 ฿611

20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 IQD 6,102

$7.92 ฿258

-41.16%

Cappuccino

$2.74 IQD 3,594

$1.91 ฿62.2

43.46%

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

$0.37 IQD 479

$0.84 ฿27.25

-55.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.35 ฿11.44

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 IQD 4,638

$2.21 ฿71.7

60.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,694

$3.80 ฿124

-25.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,805

$1.64 ฿53.2

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$1.62 ฿52.8

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,173

$1.18 ฿38.40

40.68%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,339

$2.01 ฿65.4

-10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.30 IQD 3,007

$15.89 ฿517

-85.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 IQD 6,663

$3.01 ฿98.0

69.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

$10.77 ฿350

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$2.61 ฿85.0

-51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,514

$1.22 ฿39.65

-4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.70 ฿55.4

-37.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$1.58 ฿51.2

-53.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$1.32 ฿42.89

-50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 883

$1.17 ฿38.01

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 790

$0.67 ฿21.85

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.56 ฿18.21

-33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,946

$4.53 ฿147

-67.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

$18.20 ฿592

-26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$1.83 ฿59.6

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,833

$3.23 ฿105

-33.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.89 ฿28.83

-59.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.31 IQD 44.9K

$19.38 ฿630

77.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,531

$1.35 ฿43.95

42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,001

$1.35 ฿43.79

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 IQD 6,381

$8.25 ฿268

-40.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 IQD 618

$1.27 ฿41.40

-62.99%

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

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-44.66%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-10.62%

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

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

$70.2 ฿2,281

-14.98%

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

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

$13.77 ฿448

68.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

$17.60 ฿572

93.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-28.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

$6.60 ฿215

128.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,965

$5.78 ฿188

31.66%

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

$166 IQD 217.3K

$306 ฿9,953

-45.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$913 IQD 1.2M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-93.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

$54.4 ฿1,768

-70.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

$26.14 ฿850

-5.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-22.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

$69.4 ฿2,257

-38.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.5K

$424 ฿13.8K

-43.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 IQD 175.8K

$238 ฿7,743

-43.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 IQD 498.2K

$825 ฿26.8K

-53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 IQD 200.0K

$515 ฿16.7K

-70.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-38.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 IQD 629.9K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-68.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 IQD 976.6K

$635 ฿20.6K

17.38%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in An Najaf versus $424 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 17% 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 – $172 in An Najaf vs $243 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 26% 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 $1,013 per month in An Najaf and $1,278 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 $675 in An Najaf and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 77% 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 $675 in An Najaf and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $675 versus $852 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.