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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,263 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,708 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.28 IQD 6,917

-63.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

-38.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.00 IQD 7,851

30.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.11 IQD 4,073

-37.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.40 IQD 518

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.20 IQD 265

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.97 IQD 3,896

-28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.83 IQD 3,706

31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.31 IQD 1,713

30.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.74 IQD 967

120.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.64 IQD 2,151

-30.49%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.74 IQD 2,280

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.38 IQD 5,733

270.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.06 IQD 6,623

-38.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.96 IQD 18.3K

-21.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.28 IQD 1,673

114.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.16 IQD 1,516

4.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.06 IQD 1,385

52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.70 IQD 920

127.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.66 IQD 862

112.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.68 IQD 890

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.55 IQD 720

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.55 IQD 722

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.95 IQD 2,552

140.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.76 IQD 2,300

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.19 IQD 2,863

47.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.40 IQD 522

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

-69.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.54 IQD 2,016

-16.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.33 IQD 4,358

135.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.53 IQD 689

139.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$17.0K IQD 22.2M

25.28%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

10.69%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

-9.15%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

-7.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.99 IQD 49.8K

-52.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

75.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

-64.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.55 IQD 9,883

-21.59%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$96.5 IQD 126.4K

209.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$754 IQD 986.7K

1884.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

100.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$27.83 IQD 36.4K

-3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$61.2 IQD 80.1K

38.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$43.90 IQD 57.5K

60.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$378 IQD 494.8K

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$191 IQD 249.6K

24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$662 IQD 867.5K

20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$322 IQD 422.1K

59.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,702 IQD 2.2M

16.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$562 IQD 736.0K

162.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$515 IQD 674.7K

19.84%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $378 in Al Hillah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Al Hillah – so Al Hillah 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 Al Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,228 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 232% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $96.5 in Al Hillah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $819 in Al Hillah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al Hillah. 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.