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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Al-qardahah vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $814 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,108 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-qardahah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 61% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 SYP 679

$1.98 ฿64.3

210.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 SYP 3,088

$18.80 ฿612

48.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 SYP 599

$7.75 ฿252

-30.06%

Cappuccino

$1.55 SYP 171

$1.92 ฿62.5

-19.27%

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

$1.16 SYP 129

$0.79 ฿25.79

46.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SYP 75.3

$0.36 ฿11.62

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SYP 178

$2.21 ฿72.1

-27.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SYP 273

$3.66 ฿119

-32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 SYP 105

$1.65 ฿53.8

-42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SYP 70.7

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 SYP 195

$1.19 ฿38.86

48.74%

Eggs

$1.89 SYP 208

$2.00 ฿65.1

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 342

$15.98 ฿520

-80.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SYP 855

$3.03 ฿98.5

155.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 SYP 1,240

$10.86 ฿354

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 102

$2.76 ฿90.0

-66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 197

$1.18 ฿38.42

51.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 114

$1.64 ฿53.5

-37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 SYP 100.0

$1.52 ฿49.51

-40.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 SYP 69.1

$1.38 ฿45.10

-54.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 74.2

$1.19 ฿38.84

-43.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.73

$0.70 ฿22.86

-45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 67.5

$0.56 ฿18.13

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 SYP 325

$4.58 ฿149

-35.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 673

$16.56 ฿539

-63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 112

$1.83 ฿59.5

-44.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SYP 195

$3.20 ฿104

-44.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 113

$1.36 ฿44.16

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 SYP 141

$1.34 ฿43.65

-5.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SYP 706

$7.84 ฿256

-18.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.59 SYP 397

$1.23 ฿39.92

191.87%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-14.37%

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

$20.9K SYP 2.3M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-7.12%

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

$101 SYP 11.1K

$70.5 ฿2,298

43.04%

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

$8.52 SYP 941

$13.68 ฿445

-37.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 SYP 6,038

$17.45 ฿568

213.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 SYP 330

$5.77 ฿188

-48.35%

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

$43.91 SYP 4,852

$307 ฿10.0K

-85.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,817 SYP 200.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-87.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.32 SYP 3,240

$55.8 ฿1,817

-47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.12 SYP 2,887

$26.21 ฿854

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.71 SYP 4,940

$85.8 ฿2,793

-47.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 SYP 6,241

$72.2 ฿2,353

-21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

175.00%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Al-qardahah vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Al-qardahah 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-qardahah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $520 in Al-qardahah and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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