Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Baghdad versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Baghdad versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Baghdad versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 21% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 16% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 IQD 6,302

$2.08 ฿69.4

131.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$19.64 ฿654

71.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$5.65 ฿188

35.93%

Cappuccino

$3.07 IQD 4,018

$1.81 ฿60.1

69.61%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.71 ฿23.75

-43.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.32 ฿10.52

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 IQD 5,091

$2.24 ฿74.5

73.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 IQD 4,906

$3.63 ฿121

3.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,424

$1.96 ฿65.2

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,091

$1.50 ฿50.0

-44.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$1.34 ฿44.49

14.18%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,473

$2.26 ฿75.4

-16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,971

$16.26 ฿541

-76.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,992

$2.95 ฿98.4

55.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

$9.94 ฿331

46.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$2.57 ฿85.7

-55.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$1.06 ฿35.18

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$1.61 ฿53.7

-34.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$1.52 ฿50.6

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 860

$1.27 ฿42.30

-48.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.07 ฿35.51

-40.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$0.72 ฿23.98

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 IQD 920

$0.51 ฿16.94

37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$4.19 ฿140

-56.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$17.87 ฿595

-23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,890

$1.69 ฿56.4

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,861

$2.84 ฿94.5

-23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.93 ฿30.82

-30.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$53.9 ฿1,794

-58.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,037

$1.23 ฿41.11

88.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$0.58 ฿19.20

167.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$2.42 ฿80.7

221.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 801

$1.41 ฿47.03

-56.74%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$21.4K ฿714.1K

-11.19%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-29.92%

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

$213 IQD 278.8K

$63.7 ฿2,120

234.44%

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

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

$12.85 ฿428

63.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

$20.22 ฿673

109.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

$38.74 ฿1,290

20.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

$3.97 ฿132

454.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$6.74 ฿224

56.82%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$778 ฿25.9K

-78.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-76.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

$54.3 ฿1,808

-44.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

$25.45 ฿847

49.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

$94.3 ฿3,141

-22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

$73.4 ฿2,446

-35.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.1K

$490 ฿16.3K

17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.9K

$289 ฿9,634

20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 IQD 1.3M

$894 ฿29.8K

7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 IQD 899.8K

$517 ฿17.2K

32.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

$1,955 ฿65.1K

142.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

$1,477 ฿49.2K

6.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 IQD 791.2K

$602 ฿20.0K

0.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.57

-26.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Baghdad and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Baghdad vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $240, with Baghdad 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

Baghdad vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Baghdad, 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: $575 in Baghdad versus $490 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 138% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $165 in Baghdad versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,148 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baghdad 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 21% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.