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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $892 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,353 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,814 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 Mai 36% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.24 IQD 6,866

-61.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

-48.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

1.68%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.04 IQD 3,987

-33.22%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.37 IQD 484

116.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.20 IQD 265

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.48 IQD 4,553

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.93 IQD 3,837

25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.37 IQD 1,799

26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.82 IQD 1,074

91.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.60 IQD 2,089

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.64 IQD 2,146

20.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.60 IQD 6,022

252.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.83 IQD 6,329

-36.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

-23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.03 IQD 1,347

168.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.02 IQD 1,339

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.68 IQD 893

151.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.51 IQD 673

211.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.70 IQD 916

98.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.62 IQD 817

87.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.31 IQD 411

112.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.62 IQD 806

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.08 IQD 2,723

123.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

130.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.07 IQD 2,716

61.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.39 IQD 516

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

-39.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.91 IQD 5,117

-63.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.54 IQD 2,021

-12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.62 IQD 9,979

6.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.56 IQD 734

119.64%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

8.66%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

10.05%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$179 IQD 234.3K

-60.13%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

-46.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

-55.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

-59.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-25.81%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$169 IQD 220.9K

82.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

303.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

99.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

-14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

64.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$239 IQD 312.9K

77.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$182 IQD 238.1K

33.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$579 IQD 758.4K

37.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$349 IQD 457.2K

45.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $239 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 $244 vs $173, 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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $1,338 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $239 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 66% less than in As Samawah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $169 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

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.

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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in As Samawah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.