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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $646 in Duhok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Duhok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,437 in Duhok, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Duhok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Duhok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$3.82 IQD 4,994

-46.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$7.18 IQD 9,392

9.19%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.64 IQD 3,452

-26.89%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$0.40 IQD 522

107.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.18 IQD 233

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$1.13 IQD 1,482

96.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$1.87 IQD 2,449

102.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.37 IQD 1,786

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$0.82 IQD 1,067

89.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$1.57 IQD 2,050

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.88 IQD 2,462

6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$5.22 IQD 6,825

209.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$2.94 IQD 3,840

3.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.12 IQD 1,460

139.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.14 IQD 1,494

7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$0.82 IQD 1,071

98.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.75 IQD 977

104.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$0.72 IQD 939

86.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$0.71 IQD 924

70.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.77 IQD 1,011

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.56 IQD 726

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$1.87 IQD 2,450

150.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

44.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.38 IQD 1,802

34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$2.00 IQD 2,610

60.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.35 IQD 460

154.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

18.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$2.35 IQD 3,079

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$1.51 IQD 1,979

-14.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$6.04 IQD 7,901

28.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.64 IQD 835

101.56%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

15.45%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

10.18%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

-24.95%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

42.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

-42.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

-20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

-59.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

-24.74%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$112 IQD 146.9K

166.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

350.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

459.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

33.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

185.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

249.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$181 IQD 236.5K

135.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$123 IQD 160.4K

91.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$374 IQD 489.8K

114.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$345 IQD 450.6K

49.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$460 IQD 601.6K

318.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$385 IQD 503.8K

276.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$431 IQD 564.3K

35.90%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Duhok: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $181 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 36% 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 – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $172 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 31% 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 $1,271 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $112 in Duhok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $847 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 $847 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.