Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,148 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,708 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,269 in Baghdad.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 17% less than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Baghdad 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.4

$4.81 IQD 6,302

-56.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿654

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

-41.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

-26.43%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.07 IQD 4,018

-41.04%

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

$0.71 ฿23.75

$0.40 IQD 520

77.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.26 IQD 342

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.5

$3.89 IQD 5,091

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.75 IQD 4,906

-3.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.2

$1.09 IQD 1,424

79.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.83 IQD 1,091

80.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.53 IQD 2,005

-12.42%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.89 IQD 2,473

19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿541

$3.80 IQD 4,971

327.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.4

$4.58 IQD 5,992

-35.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿331

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

-31.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.7

$1.14 IQD 1,492

125.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.18

$1.07 IQD 1,399

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.7

$1.06 IQD 1,391

51.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.6

$0.74 IQD 971

105.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.30

$0.66 IQD 860

92.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.51

$0.64 IQD 843

67.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.98

$0.63 IQD 827

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.94

$0.70 IQD 920

-27.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿140

$1.83 IQD 2,400

128.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿595

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

30.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.4

$2.21 IQD 2,890

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.5

$2.18 IQD 2,861

30.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.82

$0.65 IQD 854

43.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,794

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

138.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿41.11

$2.32 IQD 3,037

-46.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.20

$1.55 IQD 2,025

-62.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.7

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-68.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.61 IQD 801

131.15%

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

$21.4K ฿714.1K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

12.60%

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

$27.3K ฿910.2K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

42.70%

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

$63.7 ฿2,120

$213 IQD 278.8K

-70.10%

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

$12.85 ฿428

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

-38.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿673

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

-52.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,290

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

-17.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

-81.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿224

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

-36.23%

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

$778 ฿25.9K

$165 IQD 216.6K

370.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿486.5K

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

322.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,808

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

79.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿847

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

-33.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,141

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

29.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,446

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$575 IQD 753.1K

-14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,634

$350 IQD 457.9K

-17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.8K

$959 IQD 1.3M

-6.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.2K

$687 IQD 899.8K

-24.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

-58.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

-6.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$604 IQD 791.2K

-0.34%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $575 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Baghdad. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $188, with Baghdad 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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Baghdad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Baghdad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $575 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 138% less than in Baghdad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $165 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,148 in Baghdad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Baghdad. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Baghdad 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 21% less than in Baghdad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.