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 $1,361 per month in Al-Qurain vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,308 per month in Al-Qurain vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,254 per month in Al-Qurain vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-Qurain costs about 46% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-Qurain and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-Qurain 1% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.20 KWD 3.44

$2.08 ฿69.5

438.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 KWD 20.17

$19.61 ฿655

235.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 KWD 2.71

$5.67 ฿189

55.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 KWD 1.50

Cappuccino

$5.24 KWD 1.61

$1.81 ฿60.3

189.50%

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

$0.77 KWD 0.23

$0.77 ฿25.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 KWD 0.09

$0.35 ฿11.53

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$2.05 ฿68.4

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.51 ฿50.6

2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.40 ฿46.69

37.14%

Eggs

$2.17 KWD 0.67

$2.26 ฿75.4

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 KWD 1.37

$16.19 ฿540

-72.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 KWD 2.08

$2.90 ฿96.7

133.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.12

$9.42 ฿314

7.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

$2.68 ฿89.4

-10.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KWD 0.59

$1.09 ฿36.37

77.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$1.62 ฿54.0

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 KWD 0.45

$1.46 ฿48.74

0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.28 ฿42.65

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.06 ฿35.31

35.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 KWD 0.72

$0.72 ฿23.94

227.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KWD 0.18

$0.53 ฿17.56

13.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 KWD 0.82

$4.23 ฿141

-36.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 KWD 0.27

$0.88 ฿29.32

-1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 KWD 1.50

$1.17 ฿39.14

316.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 KWD 1.00

$0.58 ฿19.30

463.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.91 KWD 4.88

$2.39 ฿79.6

565.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.45 ฿48.41

-75.86%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,385

$21.0K ฿701.4K

-1.01%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,184

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-23.77%

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

$65.5 KWD 20.12

$63.7 ฿2,125

2.97%

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

$22.24 KWD 6.83

$12.89 ฿430

72.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 KWD 9.40

$20.52 ฿685

49.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 KWD 26.67

$39.02 ฿1,302

122.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 KWD 3.49

$6.58 ฿220

72.49%

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

$304 KWD 93.3

$784 ฿26.2K

-61.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,494 KWD 2,915

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-35.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.38 KWD 11.78

$55.1 ฿1,840

-30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.44 KWD 12.11

$24.74 ฿826

59.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 KWD 30.38

$94.1 ฿3,142

5.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 KWD 27.25

$74.0 ฿2,469

20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 KWD 216

$490 ฿16.4K

43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 KWD 188

$288 ฿9,620

112.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 KWD 546

$891 ฿29.8K

99.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 KWD 364

$521 ฿17.4K

127.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,507 KWD 1,384

$602 ฿20.1K

649.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.57

17.24%

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

Last update for Al-Qurain: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $702 in Al-Qurain versus $490 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 649% 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 $66.0 in Al-Qurain versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 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 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 $2,041 per month in Al-Qurain and $1,398 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Al-Qurain and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Al-Qurain – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Al-Qurain at $1,361. 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.