Cost of Living Comparison Between Al `alamayn and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al `alamayn and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Al `alamayn versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Al `alamayn versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,056 in Al `alamayn versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al `alamayn costs roughly 42% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al `alamayn 63% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.06 E£305

$2.04 ฿68.2

197.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.77 E£693

$18.71 ฿624

-26.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 E£195

$7.86 ฿262

-50.64%

Cappuccino

$0.93 E£46.94

$2.03 ฿67.7

-54.19%

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

$0.35 E£17.42

$0.80 ฿26.64

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 E£5.65

$0.35 ฿11.68

-68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 E£58.3

$2.14 ฿71.5

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 E£150

$3.67 ฿122

-18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 E£52.0

$1.73 ฿57.6

-40.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 E£15.79

$1.57 ฿52.4

-80.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 E£29.11

$1.20 ฿39.99

-51.67%

Eggs

$1.47 E£73.9

$1.97 ฿65.8

-25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.42 E£122

$16.23 ฿541

-85.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 E£212

$3.06 ฿102

37.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 E£372

$10.80 ฿360

-31.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 E£67.8

$2.77 ฿92.3

-51.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 E£30.76

$1.17 ฿38.94

-47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.44 E£22.17

$1.71 ฿57.0

-74.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.27 E£13.68

$1.59 ฿53.2

-83.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 E£17.96

$1.39 ฿46.51

-74.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 E£20.82

$1.16 ฿38.56

-64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 E£16.75

$0.66 ฿22.05

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 E£10.53

$0.52 ฿17.31

-59.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 E£94.3

$4.65 ฿155

-59.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 E£345

$17.78 ฿593

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 E£68.1

$1.79 ฿59.6

-24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 E£89.9

$3.34 ฿111

-46.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 E£8.12

$0.91 ฿30.27

-82.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 E£20.66

$1.41 ฿47.04

-70.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 E£14.57

$1.34 ฿44.70

-78.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 E£50.8

$8.11 ฿270

-87.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.30 E£14.99

$1.23 ฿41.16

-75.61%

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

$35.4K E£1.8M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

65.19%

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

$33.1K E£1.7M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

51.57%

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

$24.01 E£1,207

$71.3 ฿2,379

-66.34%

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

$9.91 E£498

$14.01 ฿467

-29.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.70 E£790

$17.93 ฿598

-12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.01 E£1,107

$40.82 ฿1,362

-46.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 E£147

$5.72 ฿191

-48.78%

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

$33.06 E£1,663

$308 ฿10.3K

-89.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,869 E£94.0K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-87.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.75 E£893

$55.8 ฿1,860

-68.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.95 E£2,110

$26.04 ฿869

61.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 E£5,723

$84.8 ฿2,829

34.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 E£3,806

$71.0 ฿2,368

6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 E£9,637

$423 ฿14.1K

-54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.2 E£4,938

$242 ฿8,088

-59.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 E£15.5K

$797 ฿26.6K

-61.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 E£8,819

$507 ฿16.9K

-65.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$795 E£40.0K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-58.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$388 E£19.5K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-73.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

300.00%

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

Last update for Al `alamayn: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $192 in Al `alamayn and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Al `alamayn vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $244 per month, with Al `alamayn cheaper across the board.

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

Al `alamayn vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al `alamayn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $746 in Al `alamayn and $1,279 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $192 in Al `alamayn versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $497 per month in Al `alamayn versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Al `alamayn 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, Al `alamayn 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 Al `alamayn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.