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 $1,260 per month in Al-'udayliyah vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,162 per month in Al-'udayliyah vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Al-'udayliyah vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-'udayliyah costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-'udayliyah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-'udayliyah 8% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 KWD 2.33

$2.08 ฿69.2

263.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 KWD 19.46

$19.64 ฿651

221.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 KWD 2.65

$5.65 ฿188

52.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 KWD 0.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$5.71 KWD 1.76

$1.81 ฿59.9

215.47%

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

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.71 ฿23.66

-30.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.32 ฿10.48

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 KWD 0.39

$1.96 ฿65.0

-36.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$1.50 ฿49.83

-45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 KWD 0.68

$1.34 ฿44.32

64.18%

Eggs

$2.10 KWD 0.65

$2.26 ฿75.1

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.77 KWD 1.16

$16.26 ฿539

-76.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 KWD 1.88

$2.95 ฿98.0

105.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 KWD 3.18

$9.94 ฿330

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 KWD 0.66

$2.57 ฿85.3

-17.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$1.06 ฿35.04

102.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 KWD 0.45

$1.61 ฿53.5

-8.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.52 ฿50.4

11.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.27 ฿42.14

5.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$1.07 ฿35.37

-20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$0.72 ฿23.89

148.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 KWD 0.17

$0.51 ฿16.87

7.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 KWD 0.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 KWD 0.83

$4.19 ฿139

-36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 KWD 0.22

$0.93 ฿30.70

-23.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 KWD 1.14

$1.23 ฿40.95

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 KWD 1.13

$0.58 ฿19.13

531.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 KWD 4.42

$2.42 ฿80.4

491.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$1.41 ฿46.84

-73.76%

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

$18.8K KWD 5,792

$21.4K ฿711.3K

-12.50%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,117

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-27.50%

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

$63.5 KWD 19.61

$63.7 ฿2,112

-0.25%

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

$19.81 KWD 6.11

$12.85 ฿426

54.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.45 KWD 9.71

$20.22 ฿671

55.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$103 KWD 31.67

$38.74 ฿1,285

164.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 KWD 3.69

$6.74 ฿223

77.45%

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

$239 KWD 73.9

$778 ฿25.8K

-69.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,336 KWD 2,573

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-42.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 KWD 10.11

$54.3 ฿1,801

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.18 KWD 11.48

$25.45 ฿844

46.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 KWD 27.32

$94.3 ฿3,129

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 KWD 25.33

$73.4 ฿2,436

11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 KWD 234

$490 ฿16.2K

55.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 KWD 206

$289 ฿9,596

130.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 KWD 600

$894 ฿29.6K

117.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 KWD 427

$517 ฿17.1K

167.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K KWD 3,772

$1,955 ฿64.9K

524.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,856 KWD 882

$1,477 ฿49.0K

93.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,332 KWD 1,646

$602 ฿20.0K

785.60%

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-'udayliyah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Al-'udayliyah 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 786% 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 $63.0 in Al-'udayliyah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Al-'udayliyah vs $240 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 33% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Al-'udayliyah and $1,421 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 $63.0 in Al-'udayliyah 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 43% cheaper in Al-'udayliyah – 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 $947, than in Al-'udayliyah at $1,260. 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 $947 versus $1,260 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.