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 $514 per month in Al-qardahah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $800 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,857 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 62% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 SYP 666

$1.96 ฿64.0

199.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.06 SYP 3,070

$18.81 ฿615

43.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 SYP 610

$7.92 ฿259

-32.07%

Cappuccino

$1.56 SYP 177

$1.91 ฿62.6

-18.32%

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

$1.17 SYP 133

$0.84 ฿27.41

39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SYP 82.5

$0.35 ฿11.51

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SYP 178

$2.21 ฿72.1

-28.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SYP 290

$3.80 ฿124

-32.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 SYP 109

$1.64 ฿53.5

-41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 66.5

$1.62 ฿53.1

-63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 SYP 192

$1.18 ฿38.62

43.22%

Eggs

$1.94 SYP 220

$2.01 ฿65.8

-3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 351

$15.89 ฿520

-80.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 SYP 890

$3.01 ฿98.5

160.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.25 SYP 1,277

$10.77 ฿352

4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 104

$2.61 ฿85.5

-64.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SYP 204

$1.22 ฿39.88

47.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 117

$1.70 ฿55.7

-39.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 100

$1.58 ฿51.5

-44.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 74.4

$1.32 ฿43.14

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 70.7

$1.17 ฿38.23

-47.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 42.70

$0.67 ฿21.98

-43.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SYP 71.1

$0.56 ฿18.32

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 SYP 344

$4.53 ฿148

-32.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 SYP 913

$18.20 ฿595

-55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 115

$1.83 ฿60.0

-44.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 207

$3.23 ฿106

-43.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 111

$1.35 ฿44.20

-27.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 138

$1.35 ฿44.05

-9.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 SYP 738

$8.25 ฿270

-21.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.68 SYP 417

$1.27 ฿41.64

189.76%

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

$18.7K SYP 2.1M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-11.62%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.3M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-8.06%

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

$100 SYP 11.4K

$70.2 ฿2,294

43.01%

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

$8.32 SYP 944

$13.77 ฿450

-39.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 SYP 6,319

$17.60 ฿575

216.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 335

$5.78 ฿189

-48.96%

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

$43.49 SYP 4,935

$306 ฿10.0K

-85.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 SYP 208.1K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-87.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.38 SYP 3,334

$54.4 ฿1,778

-45.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.82 SYP 2,929

$26.14 ฿855

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.10 SYP 5,004

$84.5 ฿2,764

-47.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 SYP 6,339

$69.4 ฿2,270

-19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Al-qardahah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Al-qardahah vs $243 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 66%, 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 $771 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,278 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 $27.00 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 40% 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 $514 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.