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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,170 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 20% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 IQD 5,959

$2.10 ฿68.8

116.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 IQD 30.6K

$19.84 ฿651

17.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,094

$5.79 ฿190

19.86%

Cappuccino

$2.47 IQD 3,240

$1.83 ฿60.0

34.97%

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

$0.46 IQD 596

$0.78 ฿25.43

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 IQD 302

$0.31 ฿10.30

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 IQD 5,865

$2.34 ฿76.7

91.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,958

$3.70 ฿121

-38.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,803

$2.03 ฿66.6

-32.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 IQD 1,183

$1.60 ฿52.4

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 IQD 2,546

$1.42 ฿46.43

36.62%

Eggs

$1.70 IQD 2,227

$2.18 ฿71.4

-22.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.03 IQD 6,585

$15.91 ฿522

-68.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 IQD 4,681

$3.07 ฿101

16.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 IQD 21.0K

$9.87 ฿324

62.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,707

$2.63 ฿86.2

-50.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,696

$1.10 ฿35.94

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$1.63 ฿53.5

-26.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 891

$1.53 ฿50.2

-55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 760

$1.24 ฿40.84

-53.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 964

$1.13 ฿37.11

-34.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 IQD 933

$0.74 ฿24.21

-4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 IQD 651

$0.50 ฿16.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 IQD 3,165

$4.28 ฿140

-43.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 IQD 14.9K

$17.97 ฿590

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,429

$1.70 ฿55.7

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,185

$2.90 ฿95.0

-42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 IQD 782

$0.94 ฿30.91

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.06 IQD 30.2K

$55.3 ฿1,814

-58.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,046

$1.23 ฿40.48

89.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 IQD 3,083

$0.53 ฿17.53

343.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 IQD 7,198

$2.40 ฿78.8

129.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 877

$1.44 ฿47.22

-53.47%

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

$20.5K IQD 26.8M

$21.2K ฿695.3K

-3.33%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

$27.3K ฿895.9K

-30.01%

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

$101 IQD 132.5K

$64.9 ฿2,130

55.86%

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

$11.03 IQD 14.4K

$13.35 ฿438

-17.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

$20.83 ฿684

37.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 IQD 47.0K

$40.42 ฿1,326

-11.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 IQD 26.9K

$3.95 ฿130

420.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$6.71 ฿220

16.99%

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

$175 IQD 229.1K

$787 ฿25.8K

-77.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,899 IQD 3.8M

$15.1K ฿496.2K

-80.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$56.2 ฿1,845

-65.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

$24.95 ฿819

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.60 IQD 55.8K

$92.7 ฿3,042

-54.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.79 IQD 49.5K

$75.1 ฿2,465

-49.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 306.0K

$484 ฿15.9K

-51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$287 ฿9,425

-38.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 IQD 672.3K

$910 ฿29.8K

-43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 IQD 473.7K

$531 ฿17.4K

-31.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$1,980 ฿65.0K

-59.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 IQD 751.4K

$1,451 ฿47.6K

-60.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.1K

$605 ฿19.9K

-5.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

5.57

3.59%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Sulaymaniyah versus $484 in Chiang Mai. 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 6% 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Sulaymaniyah vs $242 in Chiang Mai – 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

Sulaymaniyah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Sulaymaniyah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. 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 $175 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sulaymaniyah, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Sulaymaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $765 versus $950 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.