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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Al Hidd versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,230 in Al Hidd versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,667 in Al Hidd versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 107% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 34% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 BHD 2.56

$1.94 ฿63.5

249.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 BHD 14.82

$18.64 ฿609

110.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$7.82 ฿255

-7.03%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$1.95 ฿63.8

33.33%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.85 ฿27.77

-2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 BHD 0.05

$0.35 ฿11.58

-65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 BHD 3.09

$2.13 ฿69.6

284.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

$3.73 ฿122

180.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$1.71 ฿56.0

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BHD 0.48

$1.63 ฿53.2

-21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.14 ฿37.15

101.75%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$1.93 ฿63.1

27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 BHD 3.32

$16.21 ฿530

-45.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 BHD 2.95

$3.12 ฿102

150.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 BHD 3.86

$10.90 ฿356

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$2.75 ฿90.0

-13.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.80

$1.21 ฿39.52

74.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.62 ฿53.0

9.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.17 ฿38.17

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$0.66 ฿21.60

127.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.53 ฿17.22

66.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 BHD 2.46

$4.69 ฿153

39.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 BHD 7.09

$18.66 ฿609

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

$1.80 ฿58.8

84.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 BHD 1.21

$3.23 ฿106

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

$0.90 ฿29.26

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 BHD 19.77

$19.21 ฿628

172.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 BHD 1.72

$1.41 ฿45.91

223.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 BHD 1.54

$1.29 ฿42.12

216.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.02 BHD 9.81

$7.84 ฿256

231.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.40 BHD 0.15

$1.27 ฿41.58

-68.50%

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

$19.9K BHD 7,504

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-6.45%

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

$20.5K BHD 7,715

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-7.87%

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

$123 BHD 46.31

$69.1 ฿2,256

77.86%

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

$26.80 BHD 10.10

$14.08 ฿460

90.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.18 BHD 14.39

$18.00 ฿588

112.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.9 BHD 20.32

$6.96 ฿227

674.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.75 BHD 4.05

$5.92 ฿193

81.59%

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

$393 BHD 148

$299 ฿9,766

31.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,888 BHD 3,351

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-40.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.74 BHD 17.25

$54.7 ฿1,787

-16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 BHD 23.27

$26.77 ฿874

130.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 BHD 31.34

$85.0 ฿2,776

-2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.49

$70.6 ฿2,306

25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 BHD 250

$428 ฿14.0K

55.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 BHD 349

$237 ฿7,752

289.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 BHD 298

$801 ฿26.2K

-1.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 BHD 304

$515 ฿16.8K

56.58%

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)

$1,946 BHD 734

$617 ฿20.2K

215.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

71.20%

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

Last update for Al Hidd: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Al Hidd and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 215% 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: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai 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 Hidd vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 215% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $664 in Al Hidd versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 173% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $393 in Al Hidd versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,794 in Al Hidd, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al Hidd 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.