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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $747 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,168 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,589 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.32 IQD 6,969

-63.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

-30.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.08 IQD 9,272

10.45%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.65 IQD 3,471

-26.42%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.37 IQD 481

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.18 IQD 236

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.07 IQD 2,710

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.73 IQD 3,570

36.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.42 IQD 1,858

20.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.03 IQD 1,345

58.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.60 IQD 2,094

-28.75%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.78 IQD 2,325

8.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.76 IQD 7,540

181.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.46 IQD 4,533

-9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

-22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.17 IQD 1,532

135.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.29 IQD 1,691

-6.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.33 IQD 1,737

21.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.71 IQD 923

123.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.62 IQD 808

125.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.67 IQD 878

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.58 IQD 764

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.46 IQD 601

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.89 IQD 2,481

148.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

66.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.50 IQD 1,971

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.75 IQD 2,287

84.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.55 IQD 721

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

-16.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.36 IQD 3,087

-40.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.33 IQD 3,050

-44.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.41 IQD 7,082

44.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.72 IQD 943

76.39%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

2.42%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

5.86%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

-9.13%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

-15.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

-31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

-58.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-23.91%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$155 IQD 202.4K

93.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

331.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

132.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

5.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

92.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

96.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$237 IQD 309.9K

80.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$175 IQD 229.7K

35.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$581 IQD 760.3K

38.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$346 IQD 453.6K

48.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$799 IQD 1.0M

147.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$569 IQD 745.3K

159.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$567 IQD 742.3K

8.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-44.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $237 in Sulaymaniyah. 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 9% 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $182 in Sulaymaniyah – so Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Sulaymaniyah, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,121 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $155 in Sulaymaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $747 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $747 versus $866 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 Sulaymaniyah. 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.