Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $658 in Ba'qubah versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $989 in Ba'qubah versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,320 in Ba'qubah versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 24% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 51% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 IQD 6,342

$1.98 ฿64.3

144.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$18.80 ฿612

-17.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 IQD 8,452

$7.75 ฿252

-16.77%

Cappuccino

$1.16 IQD 1,521

$1.92 ฿62.5

-39.58%

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

$0.52 IQD 682

$0.79 ฿25.79

-34.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 286

$0.36 ฿11.62

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$2.21 ฿72.1

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,786

$3.66 ฿119

-41.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,546

$1.65 ฿53.8

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.63 ฿53.2

-63.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,461

$1.19 ฿38.86

-5.88%

Eggs

$1.41 IQD 1,852

$2.00 ฿65.1

-29.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.23 IQD 2,923

$15.98 ฿520

-86.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 IQD 3,297

$3.03 ฿98.5

-16.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 IQD 14.2K

$10.86 ฿354

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,296

$2.76 ฿90.0

-64.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,542

$1.18 ฿38.42

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,283

$1.64 ฿53.5

-40.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 721

$1.52 ฿49.51

-63.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 IQD 714

$1.38 ฿45.10

-60.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 846

$1.19 ฿38.84

-45.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 IQD 606

$0.70 ฿22.86

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.56 ฿18.13

-69.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,425

$4.58 ฿149

-42.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 IQD 16.0K

$16.56 ฿539

-26.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,798

$1.83 ฿59.5

-25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 IQD 2,649

$3.20 ฿104

-36.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.88 ฿28.56

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

$18.72 ฿610

65.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,072

$1.36 ฿44.16

72.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 IQD 2,774

$1.34 ฿43.65

58.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 IQD 6,865

$7.84 ฿256

-33.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 464

$1.23 ฿39.92

-71.54%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-12.01%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-9.69%

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

$59.3 IQD 77.6K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.96%

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

$17.34 IQD 22.7K

$13.68 ฿445

26.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$17.45 ฿568

52.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-52.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

$6.96 ฿227

143.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 IQD 5,040

$5.77 ฿188

-33.28%

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

$26.46 IQD 34.6K

$307 ฿10.0K

-91.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$638 IQD 835.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-95.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-65.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

$26.21 ฿854

-26.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-5.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-63.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 IQD 321.3K

$430 ฿14.0K

-42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.6K

$239 ฿7,774

-24.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

-29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 458.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

-31.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 IQD 1.0M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-61.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$193 IQD 252.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-87.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 IQD 940.5K

$619 ฿20.2K

16.07%

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 Ba'qubah: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Ba'qubah and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Ba'qubah vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $241 per month, with Ba'qubah cheaper across the board.

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

Ba'qubah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ba'qubah pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $245 in Ba'qubah versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ba'qubah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.