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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $668 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,052 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,436 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Ain Taoujdate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ain Taoujdate are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ain Taoujdate 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.53 MAD 51.0

-64.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$32.49 MAD 299

-42.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.37 MAD 31.06

132.05%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.90 MAD 8.32

116.67%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.47 MAD 4.33

80.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.32 MAD 2.94

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.66 MAD 15.33

28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.35 MAD 40.09

-14.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.64 MAD 5.89

167.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.77 MAD 7.07

111.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.92 MAD 17.71

-40.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.98 MAD 18.19

-2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.49 MAD 106

41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.92 MAD 17.71

62.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.69 MAD 70.8

41.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.91 MAD 8.38

202.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.80 MAD 7.34

51.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.45 MAD 4.14

260.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.31 MAD 2.90

412.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.23 MAD 2.12

508.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.43 MAD 3.93

172.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.42 MAD 3.91

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 MAD 5.21

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.42 MAD 40.70

6.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.59 MAD 79.1

117.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.92 MAD 26.94

-38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.90 MAD 26.74

11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.47 MAD 4.31

91.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.66 MAD 153

15.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.68 MAD 6.25

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.82 MAD 7.57

57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.38 MAD 49.58

45.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.54 MAD 14.20

-17.53%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.6K MAD 254.3K

-22.96%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$19.6K MAD 180.7K

13.22%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$50.4 MAD 464

37.07%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$12.18 MAD 112

15.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$41.94 MAD 386

-57.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$24.63 MAD 227

66.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.66 MAD 218

-70.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.42 MAD 40.68

33.94%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$77.2 MAD 711

287.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,382 MAD 49.6K

177.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$11.96 MAD 110

357.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$8.67 MAD 79.9

208.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$109 MAD 1,004

-22.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$89.8 MAD 827

-21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$281 MAD 2,589

52.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$172 MAD 1,583

38.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$514 MAD 4,731

56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$309 MAD 2,847

66.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,448 MAD 13.3K

36.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$942 MAD 8,679

56.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.29

-5.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ain Taoujdate: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $281 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Ain Taoujdate. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $157 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 30% more than Ain Taoujdate, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,001 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 15% less in Ain Taoujdate. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $77.2 in Ain Taoujdate. 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 $668 in Ain Taoujdate, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ain Taoujdate costs $668 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 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.