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

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

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

$5.43 IQD 7,116

$2.01 ฿64.5

170.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

$18.23 ฿584

46.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 IQD 8,958

$7.65 ฿245

-10.59%

Cappuccino

$2.65 IQD 3,471

$1.92 ฿61.5

38.02%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$0.84 ฿26.97

-53.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 280

$0.36 ฿11.42

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 IQD 2,796

$2.19 ฿70.2

-2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 IQD 3,395

$3.79 ฿121

-31.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,940

$1.64 ฿52.5

-9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,278

$1.62 ฿52.0

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.15 ฿36.98

43.48%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,254

$1.94 ฿62.2

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 IQD 7,697

$15.94 ฿511

-63.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 IQD 4,702

$3.10 ฿99.5

15.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

$11.07 ฿355

27.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,616

$2.71 ฿86.8

-54.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 IQD 1,626

$1.18 ฿37.80

5.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,725

$1.71 ฿54.7

-22.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$1.61 ฿51.5

-55.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 877

$1.39 ฿44.66

-51.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 894

$1.15 ฿36.81

-40.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.71 ฿22.83

-22.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 633

$0.55 ฿17.65

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,441

$4.57 ฿146

-59.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

$18.87 ฿605

-38.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,976

$1.82 ฿58.4

-17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,390

$3.21 ฿103

-42.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 730

$0.88 ฿28.24

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 IQD 30.0K

$18.89 ฿606

21.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,086

$1.41 ฿45.30

67.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 IQD 3,010

$1.30 ฿41.71

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 IQD 7,163

$8.20 ฿263

-33.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 IQD 951

$1.23 ฿39.29

-40.65%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$21.2K ฿678.9K

-3.53%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$22.3K ฿715.3K

-6.25%

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

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

$69.9 ฿2,240

9.76%

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

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

$14.07 ฿451

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.75 IQD 35.0K

$17.70 ฿567

51.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 IQD 51.7K

$41.41 ฿1,328

-4.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 IQD 22.4K

$6.69 ฿215

155.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,791

$5.74 ฿184

30.31%

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

$151 IQD 197.1K

$299 ฿9,593

-49.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,494 IQD 4.6M

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-76.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.76 IQD 31.1K

$54.8 ฿1,758

-56.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

$26.35 ฿845

-3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.91 IQD 57.5K

$84.7 ฿2,714

-48.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.90 IQD 47.0K

$69.7 ฿2,236

-48.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 IQD 305.9K

$427 ฿13.7K

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 232.5K

$241 ฿7,718

-26.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 IQD 750.3K

$811 ฿26.0K

-29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 443.0K

$498 ฿16.0K

-32.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$803 IQD 1.1M

$2,022 ฿64.8K

-60.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$582 IQD 762.3K

$1,524 ฿48.9K

-61.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 IQD 749.3K

$639 ฿20.5K

-10.46%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Sulaymaniyah versus $427 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 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 $27 in Sulaymaniyah versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $184 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 $1,131 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,308 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 $151 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 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 $754 in Sulaymaniyah and $872 in Chiang Mai, 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.