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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $673 in Ait Melloul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,062 in Ait Melloul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,450 in Ait Melloul.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 29% more expensive than Ait Melloul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ait Melloul 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.9

$4.42 MAD 40.86

-55.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿618

$25.47 MAD 236

-26.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$7.11 MAD 65.7

9.00%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.13 MAD 19.68

-9.86%

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

$0.79 ฿26.03

$0.63 MAD 5.80

25.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.72

$0.33 MAD 3.02

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.8

$3.78 MAD 34.96

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.70 MAD 34.19

-1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.3

$0.94 MAD 8.73

75.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$0.50 MAD 4.60

226.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.22

$1.63 MAD 15.08

-26.99%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.7

$1.88 MAD 17.43

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿525

$9.50 MAD 87.9

68.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$5.08 MAD 46.96

-40.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$11.13 MAD 103

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$1.43 MAD 13.20

93.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.77

$1.27 MAD 11.76

-7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$0.90 MAD 8.36

82.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.83 MAD 7.65

83.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.52

$0.74 MAD 6.83

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.19

$0.79 MAD 7.33

50.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.08

$0.39 MAD 3.61

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.30

$0.63 MAD 5.86

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$4.04 MAD 37.40

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

$7.13 MAD 65.9

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$2.71 MAD 25.07

-32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.92 MAD 27.05

9.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

$0.51 MAD 4.70

72.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

$16.18 MAD 150

15.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.57

$0.67 MAD 6.22

102.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

$0.52 MAD 4.85

157.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$5.40 MAD 49.97

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.29

$1.59 MAD 14.71

-22.64%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

$36.9K MAD 341.3K

-41.40%

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

$22.5K ฿741.1K

$20.4K MAD 189.0K

10.36%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

$28.46 MAD 263

147.86%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$10.82 MAD 100

26.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$28.00 MAD 259

-37.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

$24.12 MAD 223

71.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$22.92 MAD 212

-69.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$6.76 MAD 62.5

-14.64%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$75.7 MAD 701

305.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,959 MAD 18.1K

645.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,834

$43.21 MAD 400

29.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿861

$39.80 MAD 368

-34.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,819

$47.57 MAD 440

80.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,375

$47.11 MAD 436

53.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$280 MAD 2,588

53.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,845

$174 MAD 1,612

36.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$513 MAD 4,747

59.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$311 MAD 2,873

64.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.2K

$1,591 MAD 14.7K

24.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.8K

$947 MAD 8,763

56.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.3K

$376 MAD 3,481

64.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

5.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ait Melloul: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $280 in Ait Melloul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 64% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Ait Melloul. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $185, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 64% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $280 in Ait Melloul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $75.7 in Ait Melloul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ait Melloul gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 29% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.