Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and 'aqrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and 'aqrah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $747 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,157 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,568 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and 'aqrah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, 'aqrah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.04 IQD 5,286

-50.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

-24.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.84 IQD 8,959

13.30%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.60 IQD 3,410

-26.15%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.36 IQD 475

119.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.17 IQD 218

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.82 IQD 3,697

-21.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.86 IQD 3,741

27.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.33 IQD 1,739

24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.84 IQD 1,100

94.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.60 IQD 2,100

-25.63%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.81 IQD 2,372

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.57 IQD 5,989

249.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.78 IQD 6,266

-36.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

-18.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.19 IQD 1,558

131.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.21 IQD 1,585

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.06 IQD 1,388

54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.74 IQD 974

105.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.70 IQD 912

97.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.68 IQD 885

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.63 IQD 823

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.53 IQD 690

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.97 IQD 2,575

132.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.76 IQD 2,307

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.16 IQD 2,832

48.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.39 IQD 512

125.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$31.75 IQD 41.6K

-41.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.26 IQD 2,954

-39.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.50 IQD 1,959

-10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.16 IQD 8,065

27.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.54 IQD 702

127.78%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

14.65%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

13.68%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$78.7 IQD 103.1K

-10.37%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$17.29 IQD 22.6K

-20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

-49.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.65 IQD 21.8K

-58.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-26.12%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$149 IQD 195.7K

105.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,313 IQD 4.3M

340.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

102.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$24.89 IQD 32.6K

5.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

42.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$40.61 IQD 53.2K

77.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$245 IQD 320.2K

75.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$176 IQD 230.7K

35.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$571 IQD 747.7K

43.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$350 IQD 458.5K

45.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-11.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $245 in 'aqrah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in 'aqrah. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $159 in 'aqrah – so 'aqrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,120 in 'aqrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in 'aqrah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Chiang Mai and $747 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $747 in 'aqrah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $747 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with 'aqrah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.