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: $673 in Ait Melloul versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,062 in Ait Melloul versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,450 in Ait Melloul versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ait Melloul costs roughly 23% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ait Melloul 50% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 MAD 40.86

$1.98 ฿64.9

123.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 MAD 236

$18.80 ฿618

35.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 MAD 65.7

$7.75 ฿255

-8.26%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MAD 19.68

$1.92 ฿63.1

10.94%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.80

$0.79 ฿26.03

-20.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.02

$0.36 ฿11.72

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 MAD 34.96

$2.21 ฿72.8

71.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MAD 34.19

$3.66 ฿120

1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MAD 8.73

$1.65 ฿54.3

-43.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.60

$1.63 ฿53.6

-69.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MAD 15.08

$1.19 ฿39.22

36.97%

Eggs

$1.88 MAD 17.43

$2.00 ฿65.7

-6.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MAD 87.9

$15.98 ฿525

-40.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 MAD 46.96

$3.03 ฿99.4

67.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 MAD 103

$10.86 ฿357

2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MAD 13.20

$2.76 ฿90.8

-48.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.76

$1.18 ฿38.77

7.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.36

$1.64 ฿54.0

-45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.65

$1.52 ฿49.97

-45.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.83

$1.38 ฿45.52

-46.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.33

$1.19 ฿39.19

-33.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.61

$0.70 ฿23.08

-44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.86

$0.56 ฿18.30

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MAD 37.40

$4.58 ฿150

-11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 MAD 65.9

$16.56 ฿544

-56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.07

$1.83 ฿60.1

48.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MAD 27.05

$3.20 ฿105

-8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.70

$0.88 ฿28.83

-42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.18 MAD 150

$18.72 ฿615

-13.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 MAD 6.22

$1.36 ฿44.57

-50.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$1.34 ฿44.05

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MAD 49.97

$7.84 ฿258

-31.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.71

$1.23 ฿40.29

29.27%

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

$36.9K MAD 341.3K

$21.6K ฿710.8K

70.66%

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

$20.4K MAD 189.0K

$22.5K ฿741.1K

-9.39%

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

$28.46 MAD 263

$70.5 ฿2,319

-59.65%

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

$10.82 MAD 100

$13.68 ฿450

-20.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.00 MAD 259

$17.45 ฿574

60.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.12 MAD 223

$41.33 ฿1,359

-41.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.92 MAD 212

$6.96 ฿229

229.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 MAD 62.5

$5.77 ฿190

17.16%

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

$75.7 MAD 701

$307 ฿10.1K

-75.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,959 MAD 18.1K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-86.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.21 MAD 400

$55.8 ฿1,834

-22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 MAD 368

$26.21 ฿861

51.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.57 MAD 440

$85.8 ฿2,819

-44.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.11 MAD 436

$72.2 ฿2,375

-34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MAD 2,588

$430 ฿14.1K

-34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,612

$239 ฿7,845

-26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 MAD 4,747

$817 ฿26.9K

-37.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MAD 2,873

$511 ฿16.8K

-39.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 MAD 14.7K

$1,983 ฿65.2K

-19.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$947 MAD 8,763

$1,484 ฿48.8K

-36.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 MAD 3,481

$619 ฿20.3K

-39.19%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Ait Melloul and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 64% 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 $185 vs $241, 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 64% less. 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: $280 in Ait Melloul versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.7 in Ait Melloul versus $307 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% 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 29% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.