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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,160 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,589 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 18% more expensive than Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al Kazimiyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.99 IQD 5,226

-51.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$24.69 IQD 32.3K

-24.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.81 IQD 8,912

14.83%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.64 IQD 3,455

-26.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.37 IQD 483

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.21 IQD 280

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.89 IQD 3,779

-26.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.81 IQD 3,683

32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.33 IQD 1,741

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.78 IQD 1,015

108.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.58 IQD 2,064

-27.85%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.72 IQD 2,258

12.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.48 IQD 5,860

261.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.64 IQD 6,082

-32.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.08 IQD 17.1K

-16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.15 IQD 1,510

139.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.15 IQD 1,505

5.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.05 IQD 1,380

54.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.75 IQD 979

112.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.68 IQD 892

105.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.67 IQD 875

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.68 IQD 884

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.55 IQD 720

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.88 IQD 2,460

149.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.07 IQD 2,714

56.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.40 IQD 518

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$31.41 IQD 41.1K

-38.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.34 IQD 3,069

-39.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.50 IQD 1,960

-14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.86 IQD 7,678

33.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.54 IQD 704

135.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

13.47%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

12.44%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

-9.39%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

-47.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$37.20 IQD 48.7K

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.68 IQD 21.8K

-58.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.56 IQD 9,905

-21.69%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$152 IQD 199.3K

96.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

360.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

105.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.38 IQD 33.2K

5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

41.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$41.64 IQD 54.5K

69.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$247 IQD 322.9K

73.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$177 IQD 232.4K

33.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$572 IQD 748.4K

40.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$350 IQD 458.5K

47.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $157, with Al Kazimiyah 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 Kazimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,098 in Al Kazimiyah 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al Kazimiyah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al Kazimiyah 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 Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.