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 $747 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

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

Sulaymaniyah is about 14% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,969

$1.94 ฿63.5

174.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 IQD 35.1K

$18.64 ฿609

43.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 9,272

$7.82 ฿255

-9.46%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$1.95 ฿63.8

35.90%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.85 ฿27.77

-56.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 236

$0.35 ฿11.58

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,710

$2.13 ฿69.6

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 IQD 3,570

$3.73 ฿122

-26.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 IQD 1,345

$1.63 ฿53.2

-36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,094

$1.14 ฿37.15

40.35%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,325

$1.93 ฿63.1

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 IQD 7,540

$16.21 ฿530

-64.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 IQD 4,533

$3.12 ฿102

10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 IQD 18.4K

$10.90 ฿356

29.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$2.75 ฿90.0

-57.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,691

$1.21 ฿39.52

6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,737

$1.62 ฿53.0

-17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 923

$1.59 ฿51.8

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 808

$1.40 ฿45.70

-55.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$1.17 ฿38.17

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 IQD 764

$0.66 ฿21.60

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 IQD 601

$0.53 ฿17.22

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,481

$4.69 ฿153

-59.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 IQD 14.7K

$18.66 ฿609

-39.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,971

$1.80 ฿58.8

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 IQD 2,287

$3.23 ฿106

-45.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.90 ฿29.26

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.10 IQD 30.3K

$19.21 ฿628

20.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,087

$1.41 ฿45.91

67.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,050

$1.29 ฿42.12

80.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 IQD 7,082

$7.84 ฿256

-30.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 943

$1.27 ฿41.58

-43.31%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-2.36%

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

$21.0K IQD 27.5M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-5.54%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.5K

$69.1 ฿2,256

10.05%

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

$16.72 IQD 21.9K

$14.08 ฿460

18.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 IQD 34.3K

$18.00 ฿588

45.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 IQD 50.7K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

$6.96 ฿227

138.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$5.92 ฿193

31.42%

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

$155 IQD 202.4K

$299 ฿9,766

-48.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,464 IQD 4.5M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-76.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 IQD 30.8K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-56.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 IQD 33.2K

$26.77 ฿874

-5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.08 IQD 57.7K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-48.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.85 IQD 46.9K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-49.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 309.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

-44.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.7K

$237 ฿7,752

-26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

-27.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 453.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-32.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 IQD 1.0M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-59.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$569 IQD 745.3K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-61.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 IQD 742.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

-8.19%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $428 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 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Sulaymaniyah vs $246 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 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 $1,121 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,300 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 $155 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $299 in Chiang Mai. 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 $747 in Sulaymaniyah and $866 in Chiang Mai, 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.