Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $810 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,145 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,479 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than An Nasiriyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, An Nasiriyah 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.27 IQD 4,280

-39.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.09 IQD 15.8K

55.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.71 IQD 8,785

15.50%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.63 IQD 3,446

-27.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.40 IQD 520

97.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.18 IQD 238

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.53 IQD 4,627

-37.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.81 IQD 3,684

30.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.87 IQD 1,134

89.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.80 IQD 1,046

103.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.45 IQD 1,894

-17.93%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.72 IQD 2,251

16.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$3.35 IQD 4,382

377.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.78 IQD 4,943

-19.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.63 IQD 11.3K

25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.22 IQD 1,593

126.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.16 IQD 1,515

1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.82 IQD 1,072

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.41 IQD 534

270.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.38 IQD 496

263.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.55 IQD 716

116.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.51 IQD 672

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.43 IQD 567

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.53 IQD 2,003

199.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$13.37 IQD 17.5K

23.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.79 IQD 2,347

2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.15 IQD 2,813

48.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.21 IQD 274

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$31.65 IQD 41.4K

-40.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.35 IQD 3,072

-42.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.48 IQD 1,936

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.10 IQD 4,062

152.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.53 IQD 695

132.08%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

6.00%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$15.1K IQD 19.8M

48.92%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$182 IQD 237.9K

-61.18%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$25.93 IQD 34.0K

-47.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$39.73 IQD 52.0K

-56.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.95 IQD 24.8K

118.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-59.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-25.55%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$168 IQD 219.4K

83.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,540 IQD 4.6M

312.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

377.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$30.58 IQD 40.0K

-14.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

217.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$37.81 IQD 49.5K

91.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$239 IQD 313.0K

79.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$177 IQD 232.3K

34.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$585 IQD 766.2K

39.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$347 IQD 454.3K

47.21%

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

$756 IQD 990.0K

-18.15%

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 An Nasiriyah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 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 22% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $152 – making An Nasiriyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai, $810 in An Nasiriyah – roughly 7% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,215 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 69% less in An Nasiriyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $168 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $810 in An Nasiriyah, 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 $810 in An Nasiriyah to $869 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 An Nasiriyah. 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.