Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Fallujah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Fallujah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $715 in Al Fallujah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,059 in Al Fallujah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,404 in Al Fallujah.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 33% more expensive than in Al Fallujah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al Fallujah 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.89 IQD 6,398

-57.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$33.81 IQD 44.3K

-41.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

-24.31%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.05 IQD 3,994

-40.00%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.40 IQD 518

95.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.24 IQD 314

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$3.88 IQD 5,080

-39.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.77 IQD 4,940

-1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.03 IQD 1,348

97.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.84 IQD 1,095

90.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.57 IQD 2,050

-9.55%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.82 IQD 2,388

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$3.89 IQD 5,100

309.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.80 IQD 6,281

-36.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$14.31 IQD 18.7K

-31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.13 IQD 1,473

132.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.06 IQD 1,387

3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.06 IQD 1,387

53.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.74 IQD 972

106.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.71 IQD 930

74.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.68 IQD 892

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.62 IQD 809

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.66 IQD 859

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.78 IQD 2,332

140.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$13.47 IQD 17.6K

33.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.22 IQD 2,909

-23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.29 IQD 2,994

26.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.23 IQD 2,922

-44.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.56 IQD 2,045

-66.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.43 IQD 9,736

-67.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.61 IQD 797

136.07%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

12.62%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

39.65%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$211 IQD 276.8K

-69.28%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$21.33 IQD 27.9K

-37.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$41.87 IQD 54.8K

-50.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

-36.88%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$170 IQD 222.5K

363.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,470 IQD 4.5M

335.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$29.30 IQD 38.4K

91.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$37.81 IQD 49.5K

-34.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$73.9 IQD 96.8K

25.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$48.27 IQD 63.2K

55.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.12

35.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Al Fallujah: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Al Fallujah. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $187, with Al Fallujah 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

Chiang Mai vs Al Fallujah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fallujah wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Fallujah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $1,072 in Al Fallujah 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.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $170 in Al Fallujah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Fallujah – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $715 in Al Fallujah versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Fallujah but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al Fallujah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Fallujah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $715 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Fallujah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al Fallujah 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 Al Fallujah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.