Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'udayliyah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'udayliyah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Al-'udayliyah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,226 per month in Al-'udayliyah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,118 per month in Al-'udayliyah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-'udayliyah costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Al-'udayliyah sits 0% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 KWD 2.37

$1.96 ฿65.9

293.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 KWD 18.22

$18.35 ฿617

222.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 KWD 2.56

$7.48 ฿252

11.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$5.38 KWD 1.65

$2.02 ฿67.8

166.34%

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

$0.63 KWD 0.19

$0.85 ฿28.52

-25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.36 ฿11.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

$1.57 ฿52.7

-32.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.19 ฿40.05

39.50%

Eggs

$2.02 KWD 0.62

$1.94 ฿65.1

4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 KWD 1.35

$16.19 ฿545

-72.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 KWD 1.99

$2.99 ฿101

116.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 KWD 2.89

$10.94 ฿368

-13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 KWD 0.69

$2.71 ฿91.2

-17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

$1.17 ฿39.27

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 KWD 0.46

$1.69 ฿56.8

-10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$1.60 ฿54.0

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.38 ฿46.56

-7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$1.20 ฿40.47

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$0.67 ฿22.51

141.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.56 ฿18.74

-17.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 KWD 0.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 KWD 0.92

$4.64 ฿156

-35.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.60 KWD 13.40

$19.34 ฿651

125.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$1.36 ฿45.92

144.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$1.34 ฿45.00

146.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 KWD 4.99

$8.21 ฿276

97.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.22 ฿41.20

-70.49%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,386

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-2.71%

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

$19.0K KWD 5,854

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-15.47%

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

$61.5 KWD 18.89

$70.7 ฿2,378

-13.05%

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

$18.40 KWD 5.66

$14.04 ฿472

31.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.62 KWD 7.88

$17.49 ฿589

46.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.1 KWD 28.31

$42.15 ฿1,418

118.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.57 KWD 14.01

$6.88 ฿231

562.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 KWD 3.50

$5.92 ฿199

92.40%

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

$288 KWD 88.5

$309 ฿10.4K

-6.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,174 KWD 1,898

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-58.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 KWD 12.94

$55.8 ฿1,876

-24.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 KWD 13.23

$26.11 ฿879

64.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 KWD 27.10

$83.0 ฿2,793

6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 KWD 25.48

$70.5 ฿2,371

17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 KWD 240

$432 ฿14.5K

81.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 KWD 189

$239 ฿8,040

156.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 KWD 490

$822 ฿27.7K

93.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 KWD 398

$512 ฿17.2K

152.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K KWD 3,686

$1,915 ฿64.4K

526.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,860 KWD 879

$1,467 ฿49.4K

94.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,515 KWD 1,695

$579 ฿19.5K

851.86%

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-'udayliyah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $782 in Al-'udayliyah 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 852% higher in Al-'udayliyah, 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 $59.0 in Al-'udayliyah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Al-'udayliyah vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Al-'udayliyah 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-'udayliyah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-'udayliyah costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $2,002 per month in Al-'udayliyah 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 Chiang Mai, 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 $1,334 in Al-'udayliyah and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Al-'udayliyah at $1,334. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-'udayliyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,334 in Al-'udayliyah. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-'udayliyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.