Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ait Melloul Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ait Melloul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $679 in Ait Melloul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,068 in Ait Melloul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,457 in Ait Melloul.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 40% more expensive than in Ait Melloul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ait Melloul 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.82 MAD 35.85

-45.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$25.21 MAD 237

-21.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.30 MAD 59.2

-8.10%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.19 MAD 20.62

-16.44%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.91 MAD 8.60

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.37 MAD 3.50

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$5.22 MAD 49.03

-55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.67 MAD 43.89

-20.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.84 MAD 7.85

141.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.55 MAD 5.13

190.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.55 MAD 14.56

-8.39%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.73 MAD 16.26

26.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.19 MAD 76.9

94.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.44 MAD 51.1

-43.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$11.88 MAD 112

-16.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.30 MAD 12.19

102.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.23 MAD 11.51

-10.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.93 MAD 8.71

75.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.74 MAD 6.98

106.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.75 MAD 7.09

65.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.84 MAD 7.90

34.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.26 MAD 2.46

184.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.56 MAD 5.28

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.23 MAD 39.71

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$8.16 MAD 76.7

120.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.40 MAD 22.52

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$3.39 MAD 31.87

-14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.53 MAD 4.96

77.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$20.61 MAD 194

168.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.63 MAD 5.91

95.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.62 MAD 5.86

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.31 MAD 68.7

-67.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.50 MAD 14.08

-4.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.5K MAD 333.8K

-40.34%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$30.9K MAD 290.7K

-11.72%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$24.94 MAD 234

160.34%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$9.62 MAD 90.4

38.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$30.70 MAD 288

-32.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$23.77 MAD 223

70.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$23.72 MAD 223

-83.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.36 MAD 50.4

25.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$73.0 MAD 686

978.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,878 MAD 17.6K

705.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$33.13 MAD 311

69.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$44.44 MAD 418

-43.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$60.3 MAD 566

53.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$47.41 MAD 446

58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$283 MAD 2,656

71.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$153 MAD 1,433

88.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$481 MAD 4,524

88.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$242 MAD 2,274

119.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,180 MAD 11.1K

67.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$918 MAD 8,630

58.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.5

59.14%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ait Melloul: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $283 in Ait Melloul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Ait Melloul. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $182, with Ait Melloul cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ait Melloul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ait Melloul is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $1,018 in Ait Melloul to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $283 in Ait Melloul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $73.0 in Ait Melloul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $679 in Ait Melloul versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ait Melloul but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Ait Melloul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ait Melloul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Ait Melloul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ait Melloul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.