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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,390 per month in Al-Qurain vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,326 per month in Al-Qurain vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,262 per month in Al-Qurain vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-Qurain costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Al-Qurain sits 3% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.65 KWD 2.97

$1.98 ฿64.3

387.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 KWD 25.44

$18.80 ฿612

340.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 KWD 2.80

$7.75 ฿252

17.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$5.85 KWD 1.80

$1.92 ฿62.5

204.69%

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

$0.70 KWD 0.21

$0.79 ฿25.79

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.36 ฿11.62

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.65 ฿53.8

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.63 ฿53.2

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.19 ฿38.86

42.86%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.00 ฿65.1

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$15.98 ฿520

-66.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KWD 1.98

$3.03 ฿98.5

112.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 KWD 3.24

$10.86 ฿354

-3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.76 ฿90.0

-11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KWD 0.58

$1.18 ฿38.42

60.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$1.64 ฿53.5

8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.52 ฿49.51

-1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$1.38 ฿45.10

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.40

$1.19 ฿38.84

10.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$0.70 ฿22.86

131.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.56 ฿18.13

-17.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KWD 0.92

$4.58 ฿149

-34.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 KWD 0.27

$0.88 ฿28.56

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.72 KWD 13.43

$18.72 ฿610

133.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

$1.36 ฿44.16

143.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$1.34 ฿43.65

147.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 KWD 5.11

$7.84 ฿256

112.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.23 ฿39.92

-72.36%

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

$21.4K KWD 6,582

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-0.91%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,098

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-11.96%

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

$61.8 KWD 18.97

$70.5 ฿2,298

-12.45%

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

$18.33 KWD 5.63

$13.68 ฿445

33.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 KWD 7.81

$17.45 ฿568

45.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 KWD 29.36

$41.33 ฿1,346

131.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.73 KWD 14.05

$6.96 ฿227

557.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.54

$5.77 ฿188

99.65%

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

$410 KWD 126

$307 ฿10.0K

33.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,480 KWD 1,991

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-55.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.48 KWD 12.74

$55.8 ฿1,817

-25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 KWD 12.89

$26.21 ฿854

60.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 KWD 27.31

$85.8 ฿2,793

3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 KWD 25.41

$72.2 ฿2,353

14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 KWD 247

$430 ฿14.0K

86.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 KWD 186

$239 ฿7,774

153.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 KWD 479

$817 ฿26.6K

90.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 KWD 392

$511 ฿16.6K

150.05%

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)

$5,625 KWD 1,728

$619 ฿20.2K

809.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

42.80%

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

Last update for Al-Qurain: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $804 in Al-Qurain versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 809% higher in Al-Qurain, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Al-Qurain versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Al-Qurain vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Al-Qurain 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-Qurain vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al-Qurain is pricier by about 60%, 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 $2,085 per month in Al-Qurain and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 134% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $410 per month in Al-Qurain and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Al-Qurain at $1,390. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Qurain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-Qurain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.