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 $640 per month in Al-qardahah vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,393 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 31% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-qardahah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 53% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 SYP 1,194

$2.08 ฿69.3

372.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 SYP 5,460

$19.61 ฿653

129.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 SYP 833

$5.67 ฿189

20.99%

Cappuccino

$3.79 SYP 460

$1.81 ฿60.1

109.39%

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

$2.29 SYP 278

$0.77 ฿25.58

197.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SYP 106

$0.35 ฿11.49

148.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SYP 233

$2.21 ฿73.7

-13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 SYP 372

$3.79 ฿126

-19.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$2.05 ฿68.2

-46.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 SYP 51.0

$1.51 ฿50.4

-72.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.40 ฿46.57

17.14%

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.26 ฿75.2

-30.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 SYP 471

$16.19 ฿539

-76.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 SYP 691

$2.90 ฿96.4

96.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SYP 1,647

$9.42 ฿314

43.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$2.68 ฿89.2

-61.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 172

$1.09 ฿36.28

29.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

$1.62 ฿53.8

-32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.46 ฿48.61

-29.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.6

$1.28 ฿42.54

-41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.2

$1.06 ฿35.21

-25.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.87

$0.72 ฿23.88

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.53 ฿17.51

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 SYP 343

$4.23 ฿141

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 SYP 737

$18.29 ฿609

-66.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.63 ฿54.3

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SYP 354

$2.90 ฿96.6

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.17 ฿39.04

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SYP 187

$0.58 ฿19.25

165.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 SYP 953

$2.39 ฿79.4

228.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$1.45 ฿48.28

153.10%

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

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

-29.57%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-27.97%

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

$137 SYP 16.7K

$63.7 ฿2,119

115.60%

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

$9.45 SYP 1,148

$12.89 ฿429

-26.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.65 SYP 5,547

$20.52 ฿683

122.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 SYP 656

$6.58 ฿219

-17.93%

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

$66.7 SYP 8,108

$784 ฿26.1K

-91.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,806 SYP 219.5K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-87.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.38 SYP 3,449

$55.1 ฿1,835

-48.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 SYP 4,873

$24.74 ฿824

62.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SYP 7,288

$94.1 ฿3,133

-36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 SYP 7,032

$74.0 ฿2,462

-21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

5.57

155.83%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-qardahah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 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 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $960 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,398 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 $45.00 in Al-qardahah and $20.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.