Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah

For one person, living is cheaper in An Nasiriyah: $731 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
An Nasiriyah, Iraq
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
An Nasiriyah
🇮🇶 Iraq
$731
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in An Nasiriyah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in An Nasiriyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • An Nasiriyah $731

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,024 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • An Nasiriyah $1,024

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,317 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • An Nasiriyah $1,317

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than An Nasiriyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, An Nasiriyah 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$2.77 IQD 4,188
-19.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$10.42 IQD 15.8K
82.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$5.81 IQD 8,777
-4.48%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$2.35 IQD 3,547
-28.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$0.34 IQD 518
88.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$0.17 IQD 255
82.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$3.35 IQD 5,055
-29.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.38 IQD 5,110
8.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.84 IQD 1,271
132.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$0.68 IQD 1,032
111.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$0.86 IQD 1,295
54.65%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$1.61 IQD 2,435
41.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$2.51 IQD 3,797
555.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$3.77 IQD 5,692
-26.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$8.48 IQD 12.8K
9.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$0.95 IQD 1,439
147.37%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$0.90 IQD 1,365
7.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$0.74 IQD 1,112
116.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$0.37 IQD 560
305.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$0.34 IQD 517
276.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$0.49 IQD 734
124.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$0.48 IQD 724
47.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.41 IQD 613
19.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$1.29 IQD 1,943
220.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$11.59 IQD 17.5K
51.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.93 IQD 2,914
-16.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.91 IQD 2,882
45.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$0.24 IQD 360
262.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$2.02 IQD 3,053
-42.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$1.34 IQD 2,026
-60.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$1.97 IQD 2,970
22.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$0.57 IQD 862
154.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$16.3K IQD 24.6M
29.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$15.6K IQD 23.6M
72.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$194 IQD 292.8K
-67.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$19.64 IQD 29.7K
-38.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$38.14 IQD 57.6K
-47.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$16.29 IQD 24.6K
129.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$9.99 IQD 15.1K
-35.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$143 IQD 216.4K
414.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$3,244 IQD 4.9M
355.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$9.87 IQD 14.9K
440.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$33.29 IQD 50.3K
-25.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$23.55 IQD 35.6K
288.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$33.11 IQD 50.0K
117.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$239 IQD 361.8K
101.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$158 IQD 238.2K
95.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$320 IQD 482.8K
214.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$320 IQD 484.1K
97.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$904 IQD 1.4M
161.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$428 IQD 646.6K
271.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$665 IQD 1.0M
-11.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.12
35.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for An Nasiriyah: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
An Nasiriyah
$158 49% $151
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
An Nasiriyah
$137 41.4% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
An Nasiriyah
$45 58.7% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
An Nasiriyah
$252 166% $157
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
An Nasiriyah
$93 20.3% $16
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
An Nasiriyah
$9.7 * 84.2% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
An Nasiriyah
$36 27.9% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $239 in An Nasiriyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in An Nasiriyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $10 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $137 – making An Nasiriyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇶 An Nasiriyah
🕒 Local time
04:23 4:23 AM
00:23 12:23 AM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
745,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,682 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai An Nasiriyah 5,440 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • An Nasiriyah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 An Nasiriyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chiang Mai and in An Nasiriyah compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai, $731 in An Nasiriyah – An Nasiriyah comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to An Nasiriyah?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,096 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah?
Rent is clearly cheaper in An Nasiriyah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $239 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
Which city is more expensive overall: Chiang Mai or An Nasiriyah?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $731 in An Nasiriyah. That makes An Nasiriyah about 22% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $143 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Chiang Mai compared to An Nasiriyah?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $731 in An Nasiriyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Chiang Mai or An Nasiriyah?
Families tend to lean toward An Nasiriyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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