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 $1,121 per month in Al-birah vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,935 per month in Al-birah vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Al-birah vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-birah costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-birah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-birah 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₪27.21

$1.94 ฿63.5

392.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.99 ₪120

$18.64 ฿609

125.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 ₪32.03

$7.82 ฿255

43.86%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ₪10.31

$1.95 ฿63.8

85.64%

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

$0.74 ₪2.11

$0.85 ฿27.77

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₪1.74

$0.35 ฿11.58

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 ₪15.58

$2.13 ฿69.6

156.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 ₪15.93

$3.73 ฿122

50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₪5.50

$1.71 ฿56.0

12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₪1.52

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₪7.13

$1.14 ฿37.15

119.30%

Eggs

$2.19 ₪6.24

$1.93 ฿63.1

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 ₪17.18

$16.21 ฿530

-62.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 ₪18.32

$3.12 ฿102

106.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 ₪43.28

$10.90 ฿356

39.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 ₪7.23

$2.75 ฿90.0

-7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₪4.06

$1.21 ฿39.52

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₪3.95

$1.62 ฿53.0

-14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ₪5.64

$1.59 ฿51.8

24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ₪3.12

$1.40 ฿45.70

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₪3.91

$1.17 ฿38.17

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 ₪4.09

$0.66 ฿21.60

118.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₪2.42

$0.53 ฿17.22

60.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 ₪21.54

$4.69 ฿153

61.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₪7.95

$1.80 ฿58.8

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₪6.90

$3.23 ฿106

-25.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₪2.74

$0.90 ฿29.26

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 ₪168

$19.21 ฿628

207.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 ₪8.12

$1.41 ฿45.91

102.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ₪3.66

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.04 ₪39.97

$7.84 ฿256

79.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 ₪5.72

$1.27 ฿41.58

58.27%

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

$36.4K ₪103.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

70.91%

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

$44.7K ₪127.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

101.12%

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

$84.9 ₪242

$69.1 ฿2,256

22.89%

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

$19.01 ₪54.1

$14.08 ฿460

35.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.41 ₪135

$18.00 ฿588

163.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ₪159

$41.06 ฿1,341

36.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 ₪81.7

$6.96 ฿227

312.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₪23.75

$5.92 ฿193

40.88%

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

$216 ₪614

$299 ฿9,766

-27.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,780 ₪10.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-74.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.86 ₪119

$54.7 ฿1,787

-23.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 ₪110

$26.77 ฿874

43.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 ₪161

$85.0 ฿2,776

-33.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.96 ₪119

$70.6 ฿2,306

-40.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₪1,003

$428 ฿14.0K

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ₪932

$237 ฿7,752

37.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 ₪2,442

$801 ฿26.2K

7.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 ₪2,691

$515 ฿16.8K

83.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in Al-birah versus $428 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 $42.00 in Al-birah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Al-birah vs $246 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: $1,121 in Al-birah, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 29% apart. Al-birah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,681 per month in Al-birah and $1,300 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 14% 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 $42.00 in Al-birah and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Al-birah at $1,121. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-birah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,121 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.