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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $839 in Mashhad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,267 in Mashhad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,695 in Mashhad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mashhad 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.42 IQD 7,106

-63.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

-48.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.47 IQD 9,782

6.02%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.00 IQD 3,930

-36.33%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.36 IQD 473

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.21 IQD 277

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.52 IQD 4,610

-37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.92 IQD 3,830

30.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.38 IQD 1,803

18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.78 IQD 1,027

107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.64 IQD 2,149

-28.05%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$0.88 IQD 1,155

128.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$4.49 IQD 5,876

253.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.05 IQD 2,689

46.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$3.09 IQD 4,042

248.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.98 IQD 1,280

166.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.21 IQD 1,585

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.01 IQD 1,329

68.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.71 IQD 936

122.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.65 IQD 852

103.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.67 IQD 878

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.29 IQD 376

131.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.19 IQD 246

194.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$0.78 IQD 1,028

480.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$13.47 IQD 17.7K

35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.10 IQD 2,755

53.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.40 IQD 519

122.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$31.56 IQD 41.3K

-38.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.73 IQD 4,893

-63.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.47 IQD 1,931

-8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.50 IQD 9,829

10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.56 IQD 740

126.79%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

6.91%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

11.75%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$177 IQD 232.0K

-60.39%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$26.01 IQD 34.1K

-47.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$40.80 IQD 53.5K

-56.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.02 IQD 47.2K

15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

-61.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.51 IQD 9,834

-23.04%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$166 IQD 217.9K

84.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,534 IQD 4.6M

319.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$28.46 IQD 37.3K

91.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

-13.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$64.9 IQD 85.1K

30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$43.00 IQD 56.3K

61.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$239 IQD 313.3K

77.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$181 IQD 236.9K

31.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$581 IQD 761.8K

41.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$339 IQD 444.7K

51.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $239 in Mashhad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $132 in Mashhad – so Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Mashhad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,259 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $166 in Mashhad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $839 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $839 versus $852 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 Mashhad. 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.