Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,460 per month in As-salimiyah vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 68% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

As-salimiyah sits 9% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.55 KWD 2.93

$1.98 ฿64.3

382.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 KWD 13.81

$18.80 ฿612

139.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 KWD 2.50

$7.75 ฿252

4.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KWD 0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$6.08 KWD 1.87

$1.92 ฿62.5

216.67%

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

$0.66 KWD 0.20

$0.79 ฿25.79

-16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.36 ฿11.62

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.65 ฿53.8

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.63 ฿53.2

-44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.19 ฿38.86

33.61%

Eggs

$2.04 KWD 0.63

$2.00 ฿65.1

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 KWD 1.54

$15.98 ฿520

-68.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 KWD 1.91

$3.03 ฿98.5

104.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.16

$10.86 ฿354

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 KWD 0.61

$2.76 ฿90.0

-27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.18 ฿38.42

31.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$1.64 ฿53.5

-7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.52 ฿49.51

-7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.38 ฿45.10

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$1.19 ฿38.84

-26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$0.70 ฿22.86

124.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.56 ฿18.13

-12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 KWD 0.89

$4.58 ฿149

-36.68%

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)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$0.88 ฿28.56

31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.44 KWD 14.88

$18.72 ฿610

158.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$1.36 ฿44.16

136.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 KWD 1.00

$1.34 ฿43.65

144.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.24 KWD 4.99

$7.84 ฿256

107.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$1.23 ฿39.92

-72.36%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,592

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-0.76%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,193

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-10.58%

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

$38.71 KWD 11.89

$70.5 ฿2,298

-45.12%

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

$18.69 KWD 5.74

$13.68 ฿445

36.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.94 KWD 7.97

$17.45 ฿568

48.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.0 KWD 28.57

$41.33 ฿1,346

124.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.2 KWD 20.35

$6.96 ฿227

851.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 KWD 2.66

$5.77 ฿188

50.09%

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

$282 KWD 86.6

$307 ฿10.0K

-8.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,710 KWD 2,061

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-54.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.25 KWD 12.98

$55.8 ฿1,817

-24.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.02 KWD 13.22

$26.21 ฿854

64.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 KWD 26.61

$85.8 ฿2,793

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 KWD 20.92

$72.2 ฿2,353

-5.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 KWD 290

$430 ฿14.0K

119.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 KWD 222

$239 ฿7,774

203.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 KWD 569

$817 ฿26.6K

126.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 KWD 412

$511 ฿16.6K

162.43%

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)

$2,747 KWD 844

$619 ฿20.2K

343.84%

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 As-salimiyah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in As-salimiyah 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 344% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $45.00 in As-salimiyah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in As-salimiyah vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so As-salimiyah 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

As-salimiyah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 68%, 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 $2,190 per month in As-salimiyah 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,460 in As-salimiyah and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% 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 $869, than in As-salimiyah at $1,460. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah 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, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.