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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $617 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $827 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,038 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 51% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Al-mawsil 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$7.55 IQD 9,891

-72.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

58.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.61 IQD 7,344

1.07%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$0.75 IQD 981

141.33%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.37 IQD 484

108.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.19 IQD 252

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$0.97 IQD 1,265

127.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.51 IQD 1,982

150.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.78 IQD 1,015

162.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.73 IQD 959

106.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$0.62 IQD 815

125.81%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.13 IQD 1,482

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

103.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.48 IQD 4,551

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

2.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$0.73 IQD 956

267.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$0.74 IQD 965

47.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$0.60 IQD 781

170.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.28 IQD 368

421.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.32 IQD 425

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.37 IQD 482

186.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.78 IQD 1,028

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.59 IQD 772

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.87 IQD 2,444

126.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

47.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.69 IQD 2,210

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.08 IQD 2,720

39.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.39 IQD 514

125.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

76.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.85 IQD 2,426

-36.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.82 IQD 2,382

-68.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$4.54 IQD 5,945

-47.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.33 IQD 430

339.39%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

37.76%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

48.71%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$109 IQD 142.3K

-41.43%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

-7.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

-22.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

69.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$7.44 IQD 9,736

-47.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-15.75%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$306 IQD 401.0K

155.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$688 IQD 900.4K

2034.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

189.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

60.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

33.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

309.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$113 IQD 148.3K

332.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

277.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$301 IQD 393.7K

196.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$608 IQD 795.7K

-0.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.53

120.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $152 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Al-mawsil. 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $306 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 51% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.