Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $728 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,155 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 19% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Az Zubayr 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.99 IQD 5,222

-51.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

-25.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.69 IQD 8,761

16.89%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.67 IQD 3,493

-26.97%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.37 IQD 484

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.17 IQD 217

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.92 IQD 3,829

-27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.81 IQD 3,679

32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.30 IQD 1,709

31.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.85 IQD 1,113

91.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.61 IQD 2,104

-29.19%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.81 IQD 2,365

6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.58 IQD 6,002

253.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.76 IQD 6,237

-34.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

-15.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.15 IQD 1,508

139.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.17 IQD 1,530

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 IQD 1,333

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.70 IQD 918

127.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.69 IQD 904

102.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.66 IQD 869

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.66 IQD 867

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 IQD 742

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.97 IQD 2,575

138.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.79 IQD 2,348

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.15 IQD 2,813

50.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.36 IQD 477

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$31.38 IQD 41.1K

-38.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.36 IQD 3,085

-40.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.55 IQD 2,023

-16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.02 IQD 7,878

30.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.53 IQD 696

139.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

10.33%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

9.80%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$78.0 IQD 102.1K

-11.41%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.86 IQD 23.4K

-21.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

-48.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.70 IQD 48.1K

11.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.76 IQD 21.9K

-58.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-24.20%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$151 IQD 198.1K

97.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

360.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$27.46 IQD 36.0K

99.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.63 IQD 33.6K

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$62.3 IQD 81.6K

36.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$41.70 IQD 54.6K

69.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$239 IQD 313.5K

78.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$180 IQD 236.4K

31.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$591 IQD 773.6K

35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$338 IQD 443.1K

52.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Az Zubayr: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $158, with Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Az Zubayr differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $728 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,091 in Az Zubayr 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $239 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Az Zubayr gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.