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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $686 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,074 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,463 in Ain Taoujdate, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Ain Taoujdate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ain Taoujdate are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ain Taoujdate 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.44 MAD 50.9

-63.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$32.27 MAD 302

-43.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.32 MAD 31.04

125.30%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.92 MAD 8.61

119.57%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.51 MAD 4.77

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.35 MAD 3.24

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.68 MAD 15.74

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.50 MAD 42.14

-20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.67 MAD 6.29

146.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.71 MAD 6.68

121.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.95 MAD 18.29

-38.97%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.97 MAD 18.40

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.24 MAD 105

44.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$1.94 MAD 18.11

54.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.46 MAD 69.8

46.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.84 MAD 7.88

222.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.80 MAD 7.44

46.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.43 MAD 4.00

293.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.34 MAD 3.22

370.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.21 MAD 1.96

557.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.42 MAD 3.94

185.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.46 MAD 4.29

45.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.54 MAD 5.01

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.42 MAD 41.38

4.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.99 MAD 74.8

120.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.86 MAD 26.78

-34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.81 MAD 26.25

17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.47 MAD 4.36

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$16.37 MAD 153

18.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.63 MAD 5.92

115.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.81 MAD 7.59

65.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.27 MAD 49.30

55.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.48 MAD 13.84

-17.57%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$27.5K MAD 257.4K

-22.37%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$19.4K MAD 181.1K

16.41%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$49.06 MAD 459

44.05%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$12.28 MAD 115

14.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$43.09 MAD 403

-59.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$24.34 MAD 228

73.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$23.60 MAD 221

-70.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.33 MAD 40.52

36.72%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$78.3 MAD 732

294.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,348 MAD 50.0K

178.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$12.17 MAD 114

358.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$8.65 MAD 81.0

201.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$112 MAD 1,046

-25.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$92.3 MAD 864

-23.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$280 MAD 2,622

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$175 MAD 1,637

36.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$508 MAD 4,751

61.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$302 MAD 2,824

69.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,364 MAD 12.8K

40.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$991 MAD 9,275

48.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ain Taoujdate: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $280 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Ain Taoujdate. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $153 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 26% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,029 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 18% less in Ain Taoujdate. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $78.3 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $686 in Ain Taoujdate, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ain Taoujdate costs $686 versus $861 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.