Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $886 in As Samawah versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in As Samawah versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,813 in As Samawah versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in As Samawah is roughly 4% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 IQD 7,038

$1.96 ฿64.0

173.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

$18.81 ฿615

90.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 IQD 10.0K

$7.92 ฿259

-3.66%

Cappuccino

$3.00 IQD 3,925

$1.91 ฿62.6

57.07%

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

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.84 ฿27.41

-53.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.35 ฿11.51

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,594

$2.21 ฿72.1

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 IQD 3,816

$3.80 ฿124

-23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.64 ฿53.5

-20.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,080

$1.62 ฿53.1

-49.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 IQD 2,136

$1.18 ฿38.62

38.14%

Eggs

$1.61 IQD 2,110

$2.01 ฿65.8

-19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,746

$15.89 ฿520

-72.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 IQD 6,625

$3.01 ฿98.5

68.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$10.77 ฿352

28.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,333

$2.61 ฿85.5

-60.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,294

$1.22 ฿39.88

-18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 903

$1.70 ฿55.7

-59.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 639

$1.58 ฿51.5

-68.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.32 ฿43.14

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 822

$1.17 ฿38.23

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 IQD 418

$0.67 ฿21.98

-52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 IQD 878

$0.56 ฿18.32

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$4.53 ฿148

-53.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 IQD 9,945

$18.20 ฿595

-58.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,413

$1.83 ฿60.0

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,858

$3.23 ฿106

-32.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.89 ฿29.00

-55.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

$19.38 ฿634

61.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 IQD 4,885

$1.35 ฿44.20

176.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,019

$1.35 ฿44.05

14.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$8.25 ฿270

-6.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$1.27 ฿41.64

-57.48%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-5.58%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-10.79%

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

$176 IQD 230.0K

$70.2 ฿2,294

150.28%

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

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$13.77 ฿450

85.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

$17.60 ฿575

132.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

$41.57 ฿1,360

-9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$6.60 ฿216

150.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$5.78 ฿189

35.29%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$306 ฿10.0K

-45.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-75.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

$54.4 ฿1,778

-48.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

$26.14 ฿855

18.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.0K

$424 ฿13.9K

-42.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.2K

$238 ฿7,788

-26.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 755.1K

$825 ฿27.0K

-30.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 IQD 455.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

-32.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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 As Samawah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in As Samawah and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in As Samawah vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $243, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.

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

As Samawah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,329 in As Samawah and $1,278 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $243 in As Samawah versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 61% less than in As Samawah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in As Samawah versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in As Samawah, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, As Samawah 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in As Samawah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.