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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $646 in Duhok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,057 in Duhok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,468 in Duhok, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Duhok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$3.93 IQD 5,146

-49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

-3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$6.94 IQD 9,081

11.67%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.53 IQD 3,311

-24.11%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.42 IQD 555

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.18 IQD 237

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.17 IQD 1,532

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$1.93 IQD 2,524

89.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.36 IQD 1,783

21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$0.86 IQD 1,124

89.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.57 IQD 2,060

-24.20%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$1.87 IQD 2,449

6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$5.24 IQD 6,857

204.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.93 IQD 3,826

3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$1.12 IQD 1,469

146.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.20 IQD 1,565

-1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$0.82 IQD 1,070

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$0.71 IQD 929

114.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$0.70 IQD 919

97.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$0.70 IQD 910

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$0.73 IQD 957

-4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.56 IQD 732

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$1.86 IQD 2,432

146.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

31.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.44 IQD 1,884

27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.97 IQD 2,575

62.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.33 IQD 431

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

18.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$2.23 IQD 2,919

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$1.54 IQD 2,017

-12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.08 IQD 7,949

28.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$0.66 IQD 861

86.36%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

13.58%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

13.90%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

-24.81%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

41.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

-41.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

-20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

-58.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$7.44 IQD 9,737

-22.45%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$115 IQD 150.0K

167.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

338.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

449.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

32.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

185.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

265.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$180 IQD 235.3K

138.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$124 IQD 162.5K

92.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$367 IQD 479.6K

122.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$346 IQD 452.3K

47.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$471 IQD 615.6K

321.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$394 IQD 515.0K

276.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$430 IQD 562.4K

43.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

-65.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Duhok: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $180 in Duhok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 44% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Duhok. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $174 in Duhok – so Duhok wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Duhok, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $969 in Duhok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Duhok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $115 in Duhok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $646 in Duhok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Duhok costs $646 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Duhok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.