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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $846 in Mashhad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,280 in Mashhad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,715 in Mashhad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mashhad 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.27 IQD 6,898

-62.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

-48.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-1.15%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.95 IQD 3,858

-34.92%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.37 IQD 483

113.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.18 IQD 234

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.50 IQD 4,577

-36.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.79 IQD 3,648

31.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.33 IQD 1,741

24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.85 IQD 1,111

91.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.64 IQD 2,151

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$0.88 IQD 1,146

127.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.55 IQD 5,952

251.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$1.98 IQD 2,591

53.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$2.91 IQD 3,815

273.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.03 IQD 1,346

167.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.21 IQD 1,588

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.02 IQD 1,332

60.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.72 IQD 944

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.68 IQD 894

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.64 IQD 836

85.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.31 IQD 410

125.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.18 IQD 234

211.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$0.82 IQD 1,076

458.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

20.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.77 IQD 2,319

3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.09 IQD 2,739

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.36 IQD 478

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$30.92 IQD 40.5K

-39.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.74 IQD 4,891

-63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.48 IQD 1,942

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.57 IQD 752

115.79%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

8.64%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

13.99%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$175 IQD 228.7K

-59.61%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

-46.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$41.27 IQD 54.0K

-57.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.23 IQD 47.4K

14.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.85 IQD 22.1K

-58.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-26.12%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$163 IQD 212.9K

88.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,529 IQD 4.6M

314.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$28.31 IQD 37.1K

97.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

-13.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$65.1 IQD 85.2K

31.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$43.88 IQD 57.5K

64.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$243 IQD 318.3K

76.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$179 IQD 233.8K

33.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$579 IQD 758.4K

41.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$349 IQD 457.4K

46.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $243 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $131 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 3% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,269 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $163 in Mashhad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% 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 $846 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $846 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 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.