Cost of Living Comparison Between Ait Melloul and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ait Melloul and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $691 in Ait Melloul versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,084 in Ait Melloul versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,477 in Ait Melloul versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ait Melloul costs roughly 18% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ait Melloul 48% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 MAD 40.84

$2.03 ฿68.4

115.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 MAD 236

$18.71 ฿630

34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 MAD 65.0

$7.84 ฿264

-11.35%

Cappuccino

$2.17 MAD 20.32

$1.93 ฿64.9

12.44%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.76

$0.83 ฿28.00

-25.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 3.03

$0.35 ฿11.80

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 MAD 36.10

$2.22 ฿74.8

73.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MAD 34.47

$3.79 ฿128

-2.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.15

$1.65 ฿55.4

-47.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MAD 4.91

$1.55 ฿52.3

-66.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.41

$1.18 ฿39.79

39.83%

Eggs

$1.81 MAD 16.89

$2.01 ฿67.9

-9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 MAD 87.8

$16.16 ฿544

-41.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MAD 47.81

$3.03 ฿102

68.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 MAD 103

$10.84 ฿365

1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 MAD 12.69

$2.68 ฿90.3

-49.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MAD 11.30

$1.22 ฿41.14

-0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.81

$1.63 ฿54.8

-42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.67

$1.53 ฿51.5

-46.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.84

$1.34 ฿45.10

-45.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.32

$1.21 ฿40.86

-35.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$0.70 ฿23.63

-44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.58

$0.53 ฿17.70

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MAD 39.54

$4.69 ฿158

-9.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 MAD 66.5

$17.71 ฿597

-59.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.34

$1.85 ฿62.2

46.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MAD 28.29

$3.21 ฿108

-5.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MAD 4.70

$0.89 ฿30.01

-43.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.20 MAD 152

$18.76 ฿632

-13.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 MAD 6.30

$1.41 ฿47.40

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$1.29 ฿43.52

-59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 MAD 52.7

$7.79 ฿262

-27.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.84

$1.29 ฿43.59

23.26%

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

$37.8K MAD 354.0K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

73.85%

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

$20.3K MAD 190.1K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

-6.32%

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

$28.39 MAD 266

$70.0 ฿2,358

-59.43%

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

$10.85 MAD 101

$14.19 ฿478

-23.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.46 MAD 266

$17.42 ฿587

63.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 MAD 232

$41.64 ฿1,403

-40.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.93 MAD 214

$6.89 ฿232

232.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 MAD 60.1

$5.78 ฿195

11.25%

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

$77.0 MAD 720

$300 ฿10.1K

-74.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,983 MAD 18.6K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-86.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.02 MAD 393

$55.4 ฿1,865

-24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 MAD 371

$26.31 ฿886

50.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.67 MAD 446

$84.8 ฿2,858

-43.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.56 MAD 445

$70.5 ฿2,375

-32.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 MAD 2,574

$425 ฿14.3K

-35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,640

$235 ฿7,919

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MAD 4,757

$802 ฿27.0K

-36.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MAD 2,855

$516 ฿17.4K

-40.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,336 MAD 12.5K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-30.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 MAD 9,410

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-30.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$374 MAD 3,500

$586 ฿19.8K

-36.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

-5.00%

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

Last update for Ait Melloul: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $275 in Ait Melloul and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Ait Melloul vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $242, with Ait Melloul cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ait Melloul vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ait Melloul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $275 in Ait Melloul versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $77.0 in Ait Melloul versus $300 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ait Melloul gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Ait Melloul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ait Melloul and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ait Melloul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.