Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Duhok

For one person, living is cheaper in Duhok: $608 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Duhok
Learn more

Duhok Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Duhok

🇮🇶 Iraq

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Duhok

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Duhok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $608 in Duhok, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Duhok $608

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $978 in Duhok, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Duhok $978

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,349 in Duhok, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Duhok $1,349

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Duhok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Duhok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Duhok 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$3.38 IQD 5,111

-32.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$16.59 IQD 25.1K

18.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$7.40 IQD 11.2K

-24.19%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.43 IQD 3,665

-31.69%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.32 IQD 481

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.19 IQD 294

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.69 IQD 2,550

42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$1.94 IQD 2,932

91.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.11 IQD 1,680

75.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.67 IQD 1,016

110.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.48 IQD 2,232

-11.49%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.58 IQD 2,391

37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$4.87 IQD 7,359

241.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$2.96 IQD 4,478

-6.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$10.95 IQD 16.6K

-16.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$0.99 IQD 1,489

141.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.97 IQD 1,461

6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.75 IQD 1,136

117.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.63 IQD 959

138.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.61 IQD 919

111.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.62 IQD 940

79.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.61 IQD 926

18.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.52 IQD 787

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.73 IQD 2,609

149.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$10.97 IQD 16.6K

63.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.40 IQD 2,121

12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.79 IQD 2,700

58.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.30 IQD 459

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$15.64 IQD 23.6K

240.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.60 IQD 2,420

-24.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.29 IQD 1,945

-55.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$5.52 IQD 8,343

-57.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.54 IQD 819

166.67%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$16.6K IQD 25.1M

24.75%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

56.64%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$87.3 IQD 131.8K

-28.56%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$8.86 IQD 13.4K

36.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$23.83 IQD 36.0K

-16.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$50.1 IQD 75.7K

-26.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$26.55 IQD 40.1K

-85.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$7.52 IQD 11.4K

-13.56%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$106 IQD 160.6K

645.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$2,727 IQD 4.1M

442.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$10.02 IQD 15.1K

436.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$20.32 IQD 30.7K

21.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$30.27 IQD 45.7K

200.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$19.60 IQD 29.6K

262.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$157 IQD 237.0K

190.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$116 IQD 174.7K

157.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$329 IQD 496.7K

176.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$324 IQD 489.1K

71.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$445 IQD 671.8K

334.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$362 IQD 547.1K

298.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$415 IQD 627.4K

42.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.53

120.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Duhok: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Duhok

$116 19% 61.2% $182

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Duhok

$154 25.3% 34.8% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Duhok

$36 5.9% 66.6% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Duhok

$120 19.7% 27.1% $26

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Duhok

$93 15.3% 18% $14

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Duhok

$25 4.1% 59% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Duhok

$65 10.7% 30.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $157 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 42% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Duhok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $154 – making Duhok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇶 Duhok

🕒 Local time

05:14 5:14 AM

01:14 1:14 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

340,900

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Duhok 5,770 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Duhok

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 52% more than Duhok, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $912 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $106 in Duhok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Duhok, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Duhok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Duhok costs $608 versus $925 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.