Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-birah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-birah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,104 per month in Al-birah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,911 per month in Al-birah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,719 per month in Al-birah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-birah costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-birah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-birah 17% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 ₪28.91

$1.96 ฿65.9

385.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.78 ₪130

$18.35 ฿617

133.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 ₪34.06

$7.48 ฿252

49.87%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₪11.39

$2.02 ฿67.8

85.64%

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

$0.74 ₪2.26

$0.85 ฿28.52

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₪1.85

$0.36 ฿11.97

69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 ₪16.96

$2.14 ฿71.9

160.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 ₪16.93

$3.59 ฿121

55.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₪6.11

$1.65 ฿55.5

21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₪1.77

$1.57 ฿52.7

-63.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.78

$1.19 ฿40.05

115.13%

Eggs

$2.08 ₪6.33

$1.94 ฿65.1

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 ₪18.87

$16.19 ฿545

-61.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 ₪19.15

$2.99 ฿101

111.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 ₪47.41

$10.94 ฿368

42.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ₪7.65

$2.71 ฿91.2

-7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ₪4.32

$1.17 ฿39.27

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₪4.18

$1.69 ฿56.8

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ₪6.13

$1.60 ฿54.0

26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ₪3.21

$1.38 ฿46.56

-23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ₪4.24

$1.20 ฿40.47

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ₪4.35

$0.67 ฿22.51

113.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₪2.66

$0.56 ฿18.74

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 ₪23.58

$4.64 ฿156

67.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₪8.16

$1.86 ฿62.6

44.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₪7.38

$3.30 ฿111

-26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₪2.96

$0.88 ฿29.70

10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 ₪179

$19.34 ฿651

204.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 ₪8.37

$1.36 ฿45.92

102.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ₪3.88

$1.34 ฿45.00

-4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.86 ₪42.09

$8.21 ฿276

68.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 ₪5.86

$1.22 ฿41.20

58.20%

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

$37.0K ₪112.4K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

73.33%

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

$44.3K ₪134.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

96.71%

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

$83.4 ₪253

$70.7 ฿2,378

18.03%

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

$18.71 ₪56.8

$14.04 ฿472

33.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.25 ₪144

$17.49 ฿589

170.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ₪171

$42.15 ฿1,418

33.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.72 ₪87.2

$6.88 ฿231

317.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 ₪25.74

$5.92 ฿199

43.07%

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

$218 ₪662

$309 ฿10.4K

-29.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,786 ₪11.5K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-74.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.00 ₪131

$55.8 ฿1,876

-22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 ₪119

$26.11 ฿879

49.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.8 ₪170

$83.0 ฿2,793

-32.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.68 ₪130

$70.5 ฿2,371

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₪1,079

$432 ฿14.5K

-17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ₪988

$239 ฿8,040

36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₪2,563

$822 ฿27.7K

2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 ₪2,899

$512 ฿17.2K

86.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

12.40%

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

Last update for Al-birah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Al-birah versus $432 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Al-birah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Al-birah vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Al-birah 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,104 in Al-birah, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 28% apart. Al-birah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,657 per month in Al-birah and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Al-birah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Al-birah and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,104 in Al-birah and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Chiang Mai to $1,104 in Al-birah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-birah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.