Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,645 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,622 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,599 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Fujayrah costs about 91% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Al Fujayrah sits 23% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.38 AED 30.78

$1.96 ฿65.9

327.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 AED 216

$18.35 ฿617

220.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 AED 24.34

$7.48 ฿252

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.23

$2.02 ฿67.8

172.77%

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

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.85 ฿28.52

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.18

$0.36 ฿11.97

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.31 AED 45.19

$2.14 ฿71.9

475.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.60 AED 49.94

$3.59 ฿121

278.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 AED 7.05

$1.65 ฿55.5

16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 AED 5.23

$1.57 ฿52.7

-9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 AED 8.26

$1.19 ฿40.05

89.08%

Eggs

$3.27 AED 12.02

$1.94 ฿65.1

68.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 AED 36.52

$16.19 ฿545

-38.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 AED 33.62

$2.99 ฿101

206.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 AED 46.17

$10.94 ฿368

14.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 AED 8.69

$2.71 ฿91.2

-12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$1.17 ฿39.27

58.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 AED 7.01

$1.69 ฿56.8

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$1.60 ฿54.0

-3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.38 ฿46.56

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 AED 4.70

$1.20 ฿40.47

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 AED 5.30

$0.67 ฿22.51

114.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.35

$0.56 ฿18.74

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 AED 24.12

$4.64 ฿156

41.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.3

$17.62 ฿593

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 AED 10.12

$1.86 ฿62.6

47.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 AED 12.44

$3.30 ฿111

2.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 AED 5.82

$0.88 ฿29.70

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 AED 195

$19.34 ฿651

174.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 AED 11.86

$1.36 ฿45.92

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 AED 3.11

$1.34 ฿45.00

-36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 AED 29.91

$8.21 ฿276

-0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 AED 2.88

$1.22 ฿41.20

-35.25%

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

$32.5K AED 119.5K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

52.34%

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

$22.6K AED 82.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

0.11%

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

$213 AED 782

$70.7 ฿2,378

201.44%

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

$62.0 AED 228

$14.04 ฿472

341.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$17.49 ฿589

477.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 AED 198

$42.15 ฿1,418

28.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.13 AED 144

$6.88 ฿231

468.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 AED 54.0

$5.92 ฿199

148.48%

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

$849 AED 3,118

$309 ฿10.4K

175.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K AED 52.5K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-3.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 AED 299

$55.8 ฿1,876

46.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 AED 231

$26.11 ฿879

140.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 AED 412

$83.0 ฿2,793

35.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 AED 437

$70.5 ฿2,371

69.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 AED 2,037

$432 ฿14.5K

28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 AED 1,516

$239 ฿8,040

72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 AED 4,154

$822 ฿27.7K

37.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$989 AED 3,631

$512 ฿17.2K

93.09%

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)

$3,739 AED 13.7K

$579 ฿19.5K

545.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

-10.20%

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

Last update for Al Fujayrah: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Al Fujayrah 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.

Salaries run about 545% higher in Al Fujayrah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Al Fujayrah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Fujayrah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fujayrah costs about 91% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,467 per month in Al Fujayrah 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.

Kindergarten costs $849 per month in Al Fujayrah and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Al Fujayrah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Al Fujayrah at $1,645. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Fujayrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,645 in Al Fujayrah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Fujayrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.