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: $847 in Chiang Mai versus $691 in Ait Melloul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,332 in Chiang Mai versus $1,084 in Ait Melloul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Chiang Mai versus $1,477 in Ait Melloul.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 23% more expensive than in Ait Melloul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 37% lower, Ait Melloul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$4.37 MAD 40.84

-53.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$25.22 MAD 236

-25.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$6.95 MAD 65.0

12.81%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.17 MAD 20.32

-11.06%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$0.62 MAD 5.76

33.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.32 MAD 3.03

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$3.86 MAD 36.10

-42.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$3.68 MAD 34.47

2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$0.87 MAD 8.15

89.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$0.52 MAD 4.91

198.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$1.65 MAD 15.41

-28.48%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.81 MAD 16.89

11.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$9.38 MAD 87.8

72.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$5.11 MAD 47.81

-40.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$10.98 MAD 103

-1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.36 MAD 12.69

97.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.21 MAD 11.30

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$0.94 MAD 8.81

73.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.82 MAD 7.67

86.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$0.73 MAD 6.84

83.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$0.78 MAD 7.32

55.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.39 MAD 3.66

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.60 MAD 5.58

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$4.23 MAD 39.54

10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$7.11 MAD 66.5

149.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$2.71 MAD 25.34

-31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$3.02 MAD 28.29

6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.50 MAD 4.70

78.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$16.20 MAD 152

15.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$0.67 MAD 6.30

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$0.52 MAD 4.85

148.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$5.63 MAD 52.7

38.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.59 MAD 14.84

-18.87%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$37.8K MAD 354.0K

-42.48%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$20.3K MAD 190.1K

6.74%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$28.39 MAD 266

146.50%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$10.85 MAD 101

30.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$28.46 MAD 266

-38.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$24.78 MAD 232

68.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$22.93 MAD 214

-69.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$6.43 MAD 60.1

-10.11%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$77.0 MAD 720

289.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$1,983 MAD 18.6K

632.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$42.02 MAD 393

31.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$39.70 MAD 371

-33.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$47.67 MAD 446

77.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$47.56 MAD 445

48.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$275 MAD 2,574

54.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$175 MAD 1,640

34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$508 MAD 4,757

57.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$305 MAD 2,855

68.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$1,336 MAD 12.5K

44.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$1,006 MAD 9,410

44.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$374 MAD 3,500

56.72%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ait Melloul: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Chiang Mai and $275 in Ait Melloul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 57% 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 $242 vs $183, 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Chiang Mai, 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: $425 in Chiang Mai versus $275 in Ait Melloul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $300 in Chiang Mai versus $77.0 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.

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 23% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.