Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al `alamayn Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al `alamayn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $497 in Al `alamayn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $776 in Al `alamayn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,056 in Al `alamayn.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 71% more expensive than in Al `alamayn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al `alamayn 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.06 E£305

-66.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$13.77 E£693

35.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.88 E£195

102.58%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.93 E£46.94

118.28%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.35 E£17.42

128.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.11 E£5.65

218.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.16 E£58.3

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.98 E£150

23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.03 E£52.0

67.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.31 E£15.79

406.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.58 E£29.11

106.90%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.47 E£73.9

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$2.42 E£122

570.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.21 E£212

-27.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.39 E£372

46.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.35 E£67.8

105.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.61 E£30.76

91.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.44 E£22.17

288.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.27 E£13.68

488.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.36 E£17.96

286.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.41 E£20.82

182.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.33 E£16.75

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.21 E£10.53

147.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.88 E£94.3

147.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.87 E£345

158.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.35 E£68.1

32.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.79 E£89.9

86.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.16 E£8.12

468.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.41 E£20.66

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.29 E£14.57

362.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.01 E£50.8

702.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.30 E£14.99

310.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.4K E£1.8M

-39.46%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.1K E£1.7M

-34.02%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$24.01 E£1,207

197.08%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.91 E£498

41.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.70 E£790

14.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.01 E£1,107

85.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.93 E£147

95.22%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$33.06 E£1,663

832.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,869 E£94.0K

685.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$17.75 E£893

214.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$41.95 E£2,110

-37.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$114 E£5,723

-25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$75.7 E£3,806

-6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$192 E£9,637

120.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$98.2 E£4,938

146.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$308 E£15.5K

158.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$175 E£8,819

189.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$795 E£40.0K

141.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$388 E£19.5K

276.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-75.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al `alamayn: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $192 in Al `alamayn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Al `alamayn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $115 per month, with Al `alamayn cheaper across the board.

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 Al `alamayn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al `alamayn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $746 in Al `alamayn 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $192 in Al `alamayn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $497 in Al `alamayn – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Al `alamayn 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 Al `alamayn 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 Al `alamayn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.