Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $746 in Az Zubayr versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,165 in Az Zubayr versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,584 in Az Zubayr versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 13% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,233

$1.96 ฿65.9

104.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 IQD 33.0K

$18.35 ฿617

37.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 IQD 9,002

$7.48 ฿252

-8.16%

Cappuccino

$2.66 IQD 3,484

$2.02 ฿67.8

31.68%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$0.85 ฿28.52

-57.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 279

$0.36 ฿11.97

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 IQD 3,782

$2.14 ฿71.9

35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,798

$3.59 ฿121

-19.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,798

$1.65 ฿55.5

-16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,109

$1.57 ฿52.7

-45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,169

$1.19 ฿40.05

39.50%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,257

$1.94 ฿65.1

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 IQD 6,064

$16.19 ฿545

-71.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 IQD 6,266

$2.99 ฿101

59.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 IQD 17.5K

$10.94 ฿368

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,561

$2.71 ฿91.2

-56.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.17 ฿39.27

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,315

$1.69 ฿56.8

-40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 976

$1.60 ฿54.0

-53.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 897

$1.38 ฿46.56

-50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 832

$1.20 ฿40.47

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.67 ฿22.51

-5.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 735

$0.56 ฿18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$4.64 ฿156

-60.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,423

$1.86 ฿62.6

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 IQD 2,734

$3.30 ฿111

-36.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 515

$0.88 ฿29.70

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.63 IQD 41.4K

$19.34 ฿651

63.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,036

$1.36 ฿45.92

70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,009

$1.34 ฿45.00

14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 IQD 8,076

$8.21 ฿276

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 748

$1.22 ฿41.20

-53.28%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-9.86%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-12.57%

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

$78.4 IQD 102.6K

$70.7 ฿2,378

10.92%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$14.04 ฿472

26.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.27 IQD 44.9K

$17.49 ฿589

95.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 IQD 48.8K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

$6.88 ฿231

143.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

$5.92 ฿199

32.94%

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

$152 IQD 198.5K

$309 ฿10.4K

-50.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,290 IQD 4.3M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-77.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

$55.8 ฿1,876

-51.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 IQD 33.1K

$26.11 ฿879

-3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 IQD 80.0K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 IQD 53.3K

$70.5 ฿2,371

-42.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

-43.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.6K

$239 ฿8,040

-26.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 766.2K

$822 ฿27.7K

-28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.0K

$512 ฿17.2K

-32.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 Az Zubayr: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Az Zubayr and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Az Zubayr vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $160 vs $243, with Az Zubayr 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

Az Zubayr vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Az Zubayr and Chiang Mai differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($746 vs $861 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,119 in Az Zubayr and $1,292 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: $242 in Az Zubayr versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Az Zubayr gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.