Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $714 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,063 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,412 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 22% more expensive than Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al-mawsil 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.48 IQD 9,795

-73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.45 IQD 16.3K

51.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.61 IQD 7,350

38.15%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.74 IQD 965

159.46%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.36 IQD 473

119.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.18 IQD 229

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.98 IQD 1,288

125.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.55 IQD 2,025

136.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.92 IQD 1,206

79.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.73 IQD 959

123.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.10 IQD 1,441

8.18%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.90 IQD 2,482

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.24 IQD 9,476

120.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.27 IQD 4,287

-7.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.26 IQD 9,502

49.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.90 IQD 1,177

206.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.87 IQD 1,136

35.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.80 IQD 1,049

105.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.36 IQD 476

322.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.38 IQD 498

263.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.46 IQD 602

158.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.52 IQD 685

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.49 IQD 647

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.02 IQD 2,642

126.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.38 IQD 1,804

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.94 IQD 2,536

64.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.39 IQD 514

125.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-39.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.19 IQD 2,867

-37.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.02 IQD 2,639

-33.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.26 IQD 4,266

140.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.35 IQD 458

251.43%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

41.55%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$17.6K IQD 23.0M

28.45%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$102 IQD 134.1K

-31.11%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$17.73 IQD 23.2K

-22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

-35.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$24.44 IQD 32.0K

69.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.72 IQD 24.5K

-62.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$11.16 IQD 14.6K

-48.30%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$204 IQD 267.1K

50.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$681 IQD 891.8K

2045.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$13.92 IQD 18.2K

300.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$17.64 IQD 23.1K

48.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$83.6 IQD 109.5K

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$18.91 IQD 24.8K

282.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$245 IQD 320.9K

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$180 IQD 236.1K

32.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$574 IQD 752.2K

42.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$346 IQD 453.1K

47.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$621 IQD 813.8K

-0.42%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $245 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $148 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al-mawsil earns 0% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $245 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $204 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.