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 $531 per month in Al-qardahah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $817 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,104 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 38% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-qardahah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.05 SYP 736

$2.04 ฿68.3

196.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 SYP 3,404

$18.71 ฿625

49.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 SYP 686

$7.86 ฿262

-28.24%

Cappuccino

$1.53 SYP 187

$2.03 ฿67.8

-24.63%

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

$1.14 SYP 138

$0.80 ฿26.67

42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 SYP 81.6

$0.35 ฿11.69

91.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.14 ฿71.6

-26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SYP 310

$3.67 ฿123

-30.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 SYP 116

$1.73 ฿57.7

-45.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 72.0

$1.57 ฿52.5

-62.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 205

$1.20 ฿40.04

40.00%

Eggs

$1.91 SYP 233

$1.97 ฿65.9

-3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 SYP 367

$16.23 ฿542

-81.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 SYP 914

$3.06 ฿102

145.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 SYP 1,354

$10.80 ฿361

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 106

$2.77 ฿92.5

-68.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SYP 213

$1.17 ฿38.99

50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.71 ฿57.0

-42.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 SYP 117

$1.59 ฿53.2

-39.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.4

$1.39 ฿46.56

-52.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.7

$1.16 ฿38.61

-43.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SYP 45.24

$0.66 ฿22.08

-43.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.52 ฿17.33

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SYP 369

$4.65 ฿155

-34.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 SYP 969

$17.78 ฿594

-55.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.79 ฿59.7

-45.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SYP 214

$3.34 ฿112

-47.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$1.41 ฿47.10

-28.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SYP 155

$1.34 ฿44.76

-4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 SYP 791

$8.11 ฿271

-19.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 438

$1.23 ฿41.21

193.50%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$21.4K ฿715.9K

-13.42%

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

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

$21.8K ฿728.9K

-2.38%

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

$102 SYP 12.4K

$71.3 ฿2,382

42.79%

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

$8.17 SYP 993

$14.01 ฿468

-41.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 SYP 6,781

$17.93 ฿599

211.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$3.06 SYP 372

$5.72 ฿191

-46.50%

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

$43.58 SYP 5,296

$308 ฿10.3K

-85.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,795 SYP 218.1K

$14.7K ฿490.3K

-87.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.53 SYP 3,589

$55.8 ฿1,863

-47.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.53 SYP 3,103

$26.04 ฿870

-1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.17 SYP 5,489

$84.8 ฿2,833

-46.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 SYP 6,803

$71.0 ฿2,371

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 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 – $170 in Al-qardahah vs $244 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 61%, 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 $796 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,279 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 44% 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 $531 in Al-qardahah and $852 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.