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 $1,352 per month in As-salimiyah vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,273 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 42% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both As-salimiyah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – As-salimiyah 2% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.89 KWD 3.95

$2.10 ฿69.3

513.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.94

$19.84 ฿656

194.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 KWD 2.43

$5.79 ฿191

36.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$5.37 KWD 1.65

$1.83 ฿60.4

193.44%

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

$0.76 KWD 0.23

$0.78 ฿25.61

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.31 ฿10.37

9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$2.03 ฿67.1

-36.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$1.60 ฿52.7

-53.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.42 ฿46.75

39.44%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.18 ฿71.9

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.36

$15.91 ฿526

-72.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 KWD 1.68

$3.07 ฿102

78.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 KWD 2.89

$9.87 ฿326

-4.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$2.63 ฿86.8

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.10 ฿36.19

43.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.63 ฿53.8

-17.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.53 ฿50.6

-2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.24 ฿41.13

5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$1.13 ฿37.37

-30.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$0.74 ฿24.38

121.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$0.50 ฿16.48

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KWD 0.83

$4.28 ฿141

-36.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

$0.94 ฿31.13

-1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.99 KWD 15.02

$55.3 ฿1,827

-11.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 KWD 1.01

$1.23 ฿40.76

169.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$0.53 ฿17.66

498.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.47 KWD 5.05

$2.40 ฿79.3

586.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$1.44 ฿47.55

-77.78%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,350

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-2.28%

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

$20.3K KWD 6,211

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-25.80%

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

$32.77 KWD 10.05

$64.9 ฿2,145

-49.53%

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

$20.76 KWD 6.37

$13.35 ฿441

55.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 KWD 9.33

$20.83 ฿688

46.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 KWD 29.31

$40.42 ฿1,336

136.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.2 KWD 19.98

$3.95 ฿131

1549.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 KWD 3.41

$6.71 ฿222

65.57%

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

$275 KWD 84.4

$787 ฿26.0K

-65.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,291 KWD 1,929

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-58.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.48 KWD 11.49

$56.2 ฿1,858

-33.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 KWD 11.68

$24.95 ฿824

52.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 KWD 27.49

$92.7 ฿3,063

-3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 KWD 19.86

$75.1 ฿2,482

-13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 KWD 273

$484 ฿16.0K

83.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 KWD 196

$287 ฿9,491

122.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 KWD 542

$910 ฿30.1K

94.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 KWD 419

$531 ฿17.5K

157.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,784 KWD 854

$605 ฿20.0K

360.01%

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 As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in As-salimiyah versus $484 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 360% 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 $59.0 in As-salimiyah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $157 in As-salimiyah vs $242 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 42%, 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 $2,029 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,426 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 $1,352 in As-salimiyah and $950 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% 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 $950, than in As-salimiyah at $1,352. 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.