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 $851 in Mashhad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,277 in Mashhad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,702 in Mashhad, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Mashhad have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$5.25 IQD 6,877

-61.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$36.62 IQD 48.0K

-48.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

1.95%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$3.05 IQD 3,998

-33.44%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$0.37 IQD 482

116.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.22 IQD 286

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$3.37 IQD 4,410

-36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.94 IQD 3,853

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.31 IQD 1,715

32.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.84 IQD 1,094

86.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$1.57 IQD 2,058

-23.57%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$0.80 IQD 1,045

146.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$4.59 IQD 6,007

253.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.02 IQD 2,646

51.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$3.01 IQD 3,943

258.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$0.99 IQD 1,291

179.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.17 IQD 1,531

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.97 IQD 1,275

76.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.68 IQD 894

133.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$0.69 IQD 908

101.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$0.63 IQD 831

84.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$0.29 IQD 374

127.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$0.20 IQD 262

160.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$0.82 IQD 1,078

467.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

31.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$1.78 IQD 2,335

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.07 IQD 2,716

61.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.36 IQD 473

152.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$31.31 IQD 41.0K

-40.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$3.81 IQD 4,988

-62.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$1.50 IQD 1,960

-10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$7.55 IQD 9,884

7.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$0.57 IQD 742

115.79%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

5.12%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

9.39%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$177 IQD 231.6K

-59.67%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$26.28 IQD 34.4K

-46.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$40.96 IQD 53.6K

-56.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$36.46 IQD 47.7K

11.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

-58.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.43 IQD 9,735

-23.01%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$165 IQD 215.8K

87.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$3,559 IQD 4.7M

312.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$28.68 IQD 37.6K

94.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$30.31 IQD 39.7K

-14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

31.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$43.57 IQD 57.1K

62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$242 IQD 316.9K

74.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

$182 IQD 238.0K

33.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$573 IQD 750.4K

39.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$349 IQD 457.0K

45.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $242 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 $37.00 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $130 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,277 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Mashhad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $851 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $851 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.