Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ain Taoujdate Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ain Taoujdate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $824 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,279 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,735 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Ain Taoujdate, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ain Taoujdate are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ain Taoujdate 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$5.27 MAD 49.29

-60.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$31.82 MAD 298

-38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.42 MAD 78.8

-32.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.14 MAD 20.06

-15.42%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.16 MAD 10.88

-38.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.38 MAD 3.53

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$4.82 MAD 45.13

-53.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.56 MAD 52.0

-34.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.02 MAD 9.55

92.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.78 MAD 7.27

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.98 MAD 18.56

-32.32%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.88 MAD 17.55

20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$11.50 MAD 108

41.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$7.62 MAD 71.3

-61.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$12.80 MAD 120

-22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.64 MAD 15.30

56.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.63 MAD 15.22

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.81 MAD 7.59

98.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.78 MAD 7.27

94.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.63 MAD 5.87

101.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.77 MAD 7.16

38.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.47 MAD 4.38

53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.53 MAD 4.92

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$4.24 MAD 39.69

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$8.73 MAD 81.6

104.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.74 MAD 25.67

-38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$3.20 MAD 29.98

-11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.46 MAD 4.34

102.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$21.10 MAD 197

155.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.87 MAD 8.15

41.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.31 MAD 2.87

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$4.75 MAD 44.47

-49.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.56 MAD 14.56

-9.62%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$31.8K MAD 297.8K

-32.63%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$32.5K MAD 304.3K

-15.98%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$50.7 MAD 475

25.48%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$11.67 MAD 109

10.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$45.06 MAD 422

-55.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$29.45 MAD 275

31.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$21.83 MAD 204

-81.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$7.74 MAD 72.4

-12.92%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$102 MAD 957

660.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$5,733 MAD 53.6K

154.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$60.8 MAD 569

-10.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$49.81 MAD 466

-48.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$106 MAD 988

-10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$67.5 MAD 632

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$255 MAD 2,382

92.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$184 MAD 1,717

57.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$447 MAD 4,177

100.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$241 MAD 2,257

114.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,081 MAD 10.1K

80.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$763 MAD 7,139

93.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.01

11.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ain Taoujdate: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $255 in Ain Taoujdate. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Ain Taoujdate. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Ain Taoujdate – so Ain Taoujdate 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

Chiang Mai vs Ain Taoujdate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Ain Taoujdate, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,236 in Ain Taoujdate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ain Taoujdate, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 155% less in Ain Taoujdate. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $102 in Ain Taoujdate. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ain Taoujdate, where all-in costs run around $824, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Ain Taoujdate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ain Taoujdate costs $824 versus $947 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 Ain Taoujdate. 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.