Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Adliya Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Adliya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $828 in Adliya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,323 in Adliya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,819 in Adliya, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Adliya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Adliya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Adliya 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.81 BHD 2.57

-71.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$53.9 BHD 20.33

-65.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.41 BHD 2.79

5.53%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.29 BHD 2.00

-63.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.80 BHD 0.30

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.40 BHD 0.15

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.79 BHD 2.93

-72.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$10.75 BHD 4.05

-65.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.72 BHD 0.65

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.34 BHD 0.51

21.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.38 BHD 0.90

-52.10%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-21.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.91 BHD 3.36

81.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.63 BHD 2.88

-59.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.37 BHD 3.91

5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.34 BHD 0.88

17.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.09 BHD 0.79

-42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.75 BHD 0.66

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.17 BHD 0.44

35.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.87 BHD 0.33

60.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.04 BHD 0.39

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.47 BHD 0.55

-55.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.89 BHD 0.33

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.70 BHD 2.53

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.41 BHD 6.94

1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.52 BHD 1.33

-48.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.15 BHD 1.19

2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.69 BHD 1.77

-69.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$4.09 BHD 1.54

-68.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$26.96 BHD 10.16

-70.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.55 BHD 0.21

130.91%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.8K BHD 14.3K

-43.72%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.5K BHD 7,722

8.44%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$121 BHD 45.53

-42.81%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$26.78 BHD 10.10

-47.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.98 BHD 14.32

-52.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$10.66 BHD 4.02

-44.47%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$393 BHD 148

-23.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,025 BHD 3,402

65.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$20.33 BHD 7.66

169.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$63.0 BHD 23.76

-57.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$82.4 BHD 31.07

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$86.9 BHD 32.74

-18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,239 BHD 1,221

-80.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

-41.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Adliya: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 425% higher in Adliya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Adliya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $265 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Adliya, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,242 in Adliya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $828 in Adliya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $393 in Adliya. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $828 in Adliya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Adliya costs $828 versus $866 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 Adliya. 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.