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 $752 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,169 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,586 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 IQD 7,068

$1.96 ฿65.9

175.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 IQD 35.3K

$18.35 ฿617

46.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$7.48 ฿252

-6.68%

Cappuccino

$2.68 IQD 3,507

$2.02 ฿67.8

32.67%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.85 ฿28.52

-54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$0.36 ฿11.97

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$2.14 ฿71.9

-4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 IQD 3,492

$3.59 ฿121

-25.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 IQD 1,948

$1.65 ฿55.5

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$1.57 ฿52.7

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,100

$1.19 ฿40.05

34.45%

Eggs

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$1.94 ฿65.1

-12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 IQD 7,586

$16.19 ฿545

-64.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 IQD 4,492

$2.99 ฿101

14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 IQD 18.8K

$10.94 ฿368

31.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,529

$2.71 ฿91.2

-56.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,703

$1.17 ฿39.27

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,651

$1.69 ฿56.8

-25.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 925

$1.60 ฿54.0

-55.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$1.38 ฿46.56

-51.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.20 ฿40.47

-43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 772

$0.67 ฿22.51

-11.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$0.56 ฿18.74

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$4.64 ฿156

-58.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 IQD 15.2K

$17.62 ฿593

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 IQD 1,992

$1.86 ฿62.6

-18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,305

$3.30 ฿111

-46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 725

$0.88 ฿29.70

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 IQD 30.5K

$19.34 ฿651

20.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,983

$1.36 ฿45.92

67.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 IQD 2,993

$1.34 ฿45.00

70.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,812

$8.21 ฿276

-36.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 IQD 931

$1.22 ฿41.20

-41.80%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.4M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-1.83%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-7.09%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$70.7 ฿2,378

7.61%

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

$16.47 IQD 21.6K

$14.04 ฿472

17.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 IQD 35.3K

$17.49 ฿589

54.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.52 IQD 50.4K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-8.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 IQD 22.3K

$6.88 ฿231

147.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,776

$5.92 ฿199

26.18%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

-50.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,465 IQD 4.5M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-76.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.94 IQD 31.4K

$55.8 ฿1,876

-57.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 IQD 33.3K

$26.11 ฿879

-2.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.60 IQD 57.1K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-47.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 IQD 47.5K

$70.5 ฿2,371

-48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 IQD 309.5K

$432 ฿14.5K

-45.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.3K

$239 ฿8,040

-25.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.2K

$822 ฿27.7K

-30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 IQD 459.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

-31.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 IQD 1.1M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-56.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 IQD 748.3K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-61.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 IQD 753.3K

$579 ฿19.5K

-0.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

80.00%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Sulaymaniyah versus $432 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 1% 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Sulaymaniyah vs $243 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 14% 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 $1,128 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,292 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 $154 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $752 in Sulaymaniyah and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sulaymaniyah costs $752 versus $861 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.