Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Rehab and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Rehab and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Al Rehab vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $762 per month in Al Rehab vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,049 per month in Al Rehab vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Rehab is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Rehab and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Rehab 64% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 E£207

$1.96 ฿65.8

106.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 E£718

$18.35 ฿617

-23.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 E£233

$7.48 ฿252

-39.04%

Cappuccino

$1.46 E£74.6

$2.02 ฿67.8

-27.72%

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

$0.32 E£16.19

$0.85 ฿28.50

-62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 E£7.77

$0.36 ฿11.96

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 E£72.2

$2.14 ฿71.8

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 E£138

$3.59 ฿121

-24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 E£46.05

$1.65 ฿55.5

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 E£15.84

$1.57 ฿52.7

-80.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 E£37.25

$1.19 ฿40.02

-38.66%

Eggs

$1.53 E£78.3

$1.94 ฿65.1

-21.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.44 E£176

$16.19 ฿544

-78.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 E£218

$2.99 ฿101

43.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 E£448

$10.94 ฿368

-19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 E£65.9

$2.71 ฿91.2

-52.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 E£28.77

$1.17 ฿39.25

-52.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.47 E£24.23

$1.69 ฿56.7

-72.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 E£21.35

$1.60 ฿54.0

-73.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 E£23.52

$1.38 ฿46.54

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.66

$1.20 ฿40.45

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 E£11.18

$0.67 ฿22.50

-67.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 E£11.20

$0.56 ฿18.73

-60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 E£101

$4.64 ฿156

-57.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 E£361

$17.62 ฿593

-59.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 E£65.4

$1.86 ฿62.5

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 E£90.9

$3.30 ฿111

-46.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 E£10.00

$0.88 ฿29.68

-77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 E£21.04

$1.36 ฿45.90

-69.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 E£14.67

$1.34 ฿44.98

-78.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 E£49.87

$8.21 ฿276

-88.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 E£16.42

$1.22 ฿41.18

-73.77%

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

$36.4K E£1.9M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

70.48%

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

$30.7K E£1.6M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

36.45%

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

$24.07 E£1,229

$70.7 ฿2,376

-65.94%

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

$10.09 E£515

$14.04 ฿472

-28.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 E£650

$17.49 ฿588

-27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.93 E£1,119

$42.15 ฿1,417

-47.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 E£147

$5.92 ฿199

-51.35%

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

$32.66 E£1,667

$309 ฿10.4K

-89.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,969 E£100.5K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-86.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.81 E£1,216

$55.8 ฿1,875

-57.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 E£2,227

$26.11 ฿878

67.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 E£5,459

$83.0 ฿2,792

28.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 E£2,952

$70.5 ฿2,369

-17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 E£9,632

$432 ฿14.5K

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 E£5,136

$239 ฿8,035

-57.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 E£16.0K

$822 ฿27.7K

-61.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 E£9,023

$512 ฿17.2K

-65.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$807 E£41.2K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-57.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$814 E£41.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-44.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$120 E£6,137

$579 ฿19.5K

-79.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

300.00%

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

Last update for Al Rehab: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Al Rehab versus $432 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 382% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $14.00 in Al Rehab versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $123 vs $243 – making Al Rehab the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rehab vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Al Rehab, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $713 per month in Al Rehab and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $476 in Al Rehab and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $32.66 per month in Al Rehab and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $476 in Al Rehab and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Rehab costs $476 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rehab. 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.