Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $675 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $969 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,263 in As Samawah.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 38% more expensive than in As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, As Samawah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.84 IQD 6,341

-57.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$34.74 IQD 45.5K

-43.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.56 IQD 9,900

-25.00%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.08 IQD 4,036

-41.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.40 IQD 522

92.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.19 IQD 254

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$3.72 IQD 4,877

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.73 IQD 4,883

1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.08 IQD 1,409

89.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.77 IQD 1,013

96.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.51 IQD 1,978

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.75 IQD 2,298

29.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$1.51 IQD 1,976

972.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.83 IQD 6,320

-39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.91 IQD 18.2K

-32.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.09 IQD 1,430

145.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.08 IQD 1,417

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.94 IQD 1,236

72.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.42 IQD 548

247.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.55 IQD 719

132.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.67 IQD 874

58.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.67 IQD 884

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.68 IQD 893

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.85 IQD 2,421

128.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.48 IQD 9,793

144.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.22 IQD 2,910

-26.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.26 IQD 2,963

28.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$22.50 IQD 29.5K

138.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-47.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.49 IQD 1,946

-61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$3.13 IQD 4,097

-23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.62 IQD 811

133.87%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

11.73%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

40.56%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$82.3 IQD 107.8K

-22.67%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$19.13 IQD 25.1K

-32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

400.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$19.36 IQD 25.3K

-79.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$9.14 IQD 12.0K

-28.01%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$57.4 IQD 75.2K

1265.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,506 IQD 2.0M

874.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$29.18 IQD 38.2K

88.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$37.61 IQD 49.3K

-34.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$74.7 IQD 97.8K

26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$47.79 IQD 62.6K

54.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$122 IQD 159.1K

303.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$117 IQD 152.8K

146.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$180 IQD 235.3K

396.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $122 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $35.00 in As Samawah. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $164, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.

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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $1,013 in As Samawah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $122 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 139% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $57.4 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $675 in As Samawah versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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 As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.