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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $754 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,158 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,561 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

$2.01 ฿64.5

$5.43 IQD 7,116

-62.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$6.84 IQD 8,958

11.84%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$2.65 IQD 3,471

-27.55%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.39 IQD 512

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.21 IQD 280

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.14 IQD 2,796

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$2.59 IQD 3,395

46.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.48 IQD 1,940

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.98 IQD 1,278

65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.65 IQD 2,166

-30.30%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$1.72 IQD 2,254

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$5.88 IQD 7,697

171.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$3.59 IQD 4,702

-13.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

-21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$1.23 IQD 1,616

120.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.24 IQD 1,626

-4.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.32 IQD 1,725

29.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.71 IQD 929

126.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.67 IQD 877

107.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.68 IQD 894

69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.55 IQD 716

29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.48 IQD 633

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$1.86 IQD 2,441

145.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

62.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.51 IQD 1,976

20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.83 IQD 2,390

75.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.56 IQD 730

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

-17.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$2.36 IQD 3,086

-40.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$2.30 IQD 3,010

-43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$5.47 IQD 7,163

49.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$0.73 IQD 951

68.49%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

3.66%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

6.67%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-8.89%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

-15.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

-33.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

-60.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$7.48 IQD 9,791

-23.26%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$151 IQD 197.1K

98.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

329.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

130.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

3.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

92.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

94.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$234 IQD 305.9K

82.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$178 IQD 232.5K

35.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$573 IQD 750.3K

41.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$338 IQD 443.0K

47.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$803 IQD 1.1M

151.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$582 IQD 762.3K

161.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$572 IQD 749.3K

11.68%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $234 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 12% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $27 in Sulaymaniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $184 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,131 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 $151 in Sulaymaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $872 in Chiang Mai and $754 in Sulaymaniyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $754 versus $872 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.