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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $718 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,115 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,511 in Al Kut, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Kut are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al Kut 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.97 IQD 5,200

-50.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.91 IQD 32.6K

-26.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.96 IQD 9,110

7.47%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.60 IQD 3,407

-22.31%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.40 IQD 518

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.22 IQD 284

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.84 IQD 3,714

-24.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.81 IQD 3,680

27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.38 IQD 1,806

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.80 IQD 1,047

96.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.54 IQD 2,022

-22.73%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.60 IQD 2,089

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$4.37 IQD 5,720

270.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.50 IQD 4,589

-14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

-16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.92 IQD 1,205

194.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.01 IQD 1,319

15.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.86 IQD 1,125

96.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.74 IQD 970

116.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.69 IQD 906

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.67 IQD 879

79.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.68 IQD 889

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.53 IQD 689

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.89 IQD 2,469

145.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.86 IQD 2,431

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.07 IQD 2,706

59.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.36 IQD 475

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

-37.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.35 IQD 3,082

-42.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.49 IQD 1,952

-10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.02 IQD 7,889

36.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.57 IQD 740

114.04%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

13.66%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

15.19%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-6.78%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

-20.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$34.68 IQD 45.4K

-49.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$37.39 IQD 49.0K

12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

-58.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.50 IQD 9,820

-21.07%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$153 IQD 200.2K

101.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

350.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$26.84 IQD 35.1K

107.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

35.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

70.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$241 IQD 315.0K

79.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$179 IQD 234.0K

33.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$580 IQD 759.1K

41.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$349 IQD 456.6K

46.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,019 IQD 1.3M

87.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$509 IQD 666.7K

188.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $241 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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: $861 in Chiang Mai, $718 in Al Kut – roughly 20% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,077 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 65% 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 $18.00 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $718 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 $718 in Al Kut to $861 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.