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 $906 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Baghdad versus $1,385 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,256 in Baghdad versus $1,864 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Baghdad is roughly 27% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 14% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 IQD 6,374

$2.13 ฿71.6

128.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.91 IQD 45.7K

$19.40 ฿652

79.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 IQD 9,846

$5.47 ฿184

37.48%

Cappuccino

$3.19 IQD 4,184

$1.68 ฿56.6

89.88%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$0.66 ฿22.18

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 IQD 329

$0.34 ฿11.56

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 IQD 5,017

$2.42 ฿81.3

58.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 IQD 5,107

$3.73 ฿125

4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 IQD 1,355

$2.06 ฿69.2

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,113

$1.46 ฿48.95

-41.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,000

$1.35 ฿45.25

13.33%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,514

$2.27 ฿76.2

-15.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 IQD 5,170

$16.31 ฿548

-75.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,027

$2.70 ฿90.6

70.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 IQD 18.4K

$9.20 ฿309

52.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$2.39 ฿80.4

-52.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,428

$1.04 ฿34.78

4.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,358

$1.60 ฿53.9

-35.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 975

$1.44 ฿48.54

-48.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 896

$1.30 ฿43.75

-47.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 841

$1.11 ฿37.43

-42.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 869

$0.70 ฿23.64

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 IQD 884

$0.51 ฿17.05

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$4.13 ฿139

-53.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 IQD 17.8K

$17.78 ฿598

-23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 IQD 2,790

$1.63 ฿54.9

30.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,857

$2.87 ฿96.4

-24.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 IQD 892

$0.86 ฿28.86

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

$53.2 ฿1,786

-56.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$1.22 ฿40.96

84.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 IQD 2,057

$0.56 ฿18.88

180.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$2.31 ฿77.7

232.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.50 ฿50.3

-54.67%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$20.9K ฿700.8K

-8.54%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$26.7K ฿898.3K

-27.46%

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

$218 IQD 286.0K

$61.3 ฿2,058

256.53%

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

$19.65 IQD 25.7K

$12.50 ฿420

57.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.88 IQD 56.2K

$20.36 ฿684

110.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.30 IQD 62.0K

$37.94 ฿1,275

24.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 IQD 28.1K

$3.77 ฿127

469.50%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 IQD 13.9K

$6.60 ฿222

61.21%

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

$168 IQD 219.4K

$774 ฿26.0K

-78.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,430 IQD 4.5M

$14.4K ฿485.0K

-76.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.72 IQD 37.6K

$54.8 ฿1,841

-47.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.11 IQD 42.1K

$25.26 ฿849

27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 IQD 89.5K

$90.6 ฿3,043

-24.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.01 IQD 64.2K

$73.3 ฿2,461

-33.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 IQD 755.6K

$459 ฿15.4K

25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 IQD 472.5K

$294 ฿9,871

22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 IQD 1.3M

$919 ฿30.9K

9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 IQD 875.5K

$552 ฿18.5K

21.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,647 IQD 6.1M

$1,917 ฿64.4K

142.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,569 IQD 2.1M

$1,445 ฿48.5K

8.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$593 IQD 776.2K

$592 ฿19.9K

0.06%

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $577 in Baghdad and $459 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: $35.00 in Baghdad vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $236, 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 27% 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: $577 in Baghdad versus $459 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 129% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $168 in Baghdad versus $774 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $906 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 $906 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 27% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.