🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $886 in As Samawah.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,349 in As Samawah.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $1,813 in As Samawah.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 4% less than in As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai36% lower, As Samawah34% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$5.37IQD 7,038
-63.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$35.74IQD 46.8K
-47.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$7.63IQD 10.0K
3.80%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$3.00IQD 3,925
-36.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.39IQD 513
115.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.17IQD 216
105.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$3.51IQD 4,594
-37.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$2.91IQD 3,816
30.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.31IQD 1,719
25.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.82IQD 1,080
97.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.63IQD 2,136
-27.61%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$1.61IQD 2,110
24.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$4.39IQD 5,746
261.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$5.06IQD 6,625
-40.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$13.83IQD 18.1K
-22.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$1.02IQD 1,333
155.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$0.99IQD 1,294
23.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$0.69IQD 903
146.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$0.49IQD 639
222.45%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$0.66IQD 862
100.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$0.63IQD 822
85.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$0.32IQD 418
109.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.67IQD 878
-16.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$2.11IQD 2,765
114.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$7.59IQD 9,945
139.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.84IQD 2,413
-0.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$2.18IQD 2,858
48.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$0.40IQD 521
122.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$31.26IQD 40.9K
-38.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$3.73IQD 4,885
-63.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$1.54IQD 2,019
-12.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$7.69IQD 10.1K
7.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$0.54IQD 704
135.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$20.0KIQD 26.2M
5.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$20.1KIQD 26.3M
12.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$176IQD 230.0K
-60.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$25.49IQD 33.4K
-45.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$40.86IQD 53.5K
-56.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$37.44IQD 49.0K
11.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$16.54IQD 21.7K
-60.10%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$7.82IQD 10.2K
-26.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$166IQD 217.7K
84.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$3,567IQD 4.7M
315.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$28.20IQD 36.9K
92.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$31.03IQD 40.6K
-15.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$65.3IQD 85.5K
29.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$43.89IQD 57.5K
58.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$243IQD 318.0K
74.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$176IQD 230.2K
35.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$576IQD 755.1K
43.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$347IQD 455.0K
48.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
As Samawah
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.67
-11.82%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para As Samawah: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $243 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $36.00 in As Samawah. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $172, with As Samawah cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs As Samawah: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is As Samawah cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $1,329 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.
What is the rent difference between Chiang Mai and As Samawah?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $243 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 61% less than in As Samawah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $166 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $800 enough for either Chiang Mai or As Samawah?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Chiang Mai or As Samawah more family-friendly?
For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in As Samawah, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or As Samawah?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in As Samawah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado