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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $738 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,140 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,543 in Al Kut, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al Kut 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.13 IQD 5,412

-53.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

-26.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.02 IQD 9,193

11.40%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.57 IQD 3,364

-24.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.36 IQD 476

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.20 IQD 268

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.88 IQD 3,768

-26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.82 IQD 3,687

32.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.35 IQD 1,773

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.77 IQD 1,012

111.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.55 IQD 2,034

-26.45%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.53 IQD 2,004

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.62 IQD 6,046

250.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.55 IQD 4,654

-12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.98 IQD 17.0K

-16.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.86 IQD 1,124

219.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.06 IQD 1,385

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.81 IQD 1,061

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.75 IQD 976

112.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.69 IQD 899

102.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.68 IQD 890

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.62 IQD 818

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.56 IQD 731

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.94 IQD 2,535

141.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.80 IQD 2,354

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.16 IQD 2,824

49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.39 IQD 513

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-37.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.36 IQD 3,088

-40.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.55 IQD 2,033

-16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.92 IQD 7,748

32.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.56 IQD 737

126.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

10.72%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

10.26%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

-9.76%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

-19.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$34.63 IQD 45.3K

-48.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.05 IQD 47.2K

13.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

-59.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-24.59%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$149 IQD 195.3K

100.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,277 IQD 4.3M

356.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

100.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

8.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$61.9 IQD 81.1K

37.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$41.71 IQD 54.6K

69.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$239 IQD 313.1K

79.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$181 IQD 236.9K

31.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$570 IQD 746.3K

40.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$348 IQD 455.2K

48.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$990 IQD 1.3M

99.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$509 IQD 666.8K

189.68%

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 Kut: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $239 in Al Kut. 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 Al Kut. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $148 in Al Kut – so Al Kut 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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $738 in Al Kut – roughly 17% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,107 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 67% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $738 in Al Kut, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $738 in Al Kut to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kut. 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.