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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $942 in Chiang Mai versus $427 in Al `arish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Chiang Mai versus $688 in Al `arish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,912 in Chiang Mai versus $949 in Al `arish.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 121% more expensive than in Al `arish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 30% lower, Al `arish 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.9

$4.21 E£217

-50.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿659

$14.27 E£736

39.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿185

$4.68 E£242

19.23%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿57.5

$1.26 E£65.1

38.10%

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

$0.72 ฿23.82

$0.35 E£18.29

105.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.59

$0.14 E£7.14

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿74.5

$1.47 E£75.9

53.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿126

$2.94 E£152

29.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿66.8

$0.90 E£46.41

124.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.0

$0.35 E£17.85

348.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.21

$0.63 E£32.35

122.22%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.3

$1.40 E£72.1

53.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿518

$2.40 E£124

551.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.6

$3.91 E£201

-24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿314

$8.42 E£434

12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿86.2

$1.51 E£78.0

72.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿35.80

$0.63 E£32.25

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.7

$0.43 E£22.41

269.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.09

$0.35 E£18.11

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.26

$0.47 E£24.42

172.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿36.78

$0.47 E£24.04

136.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.04

$0.25 E£12.97

192.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.54

$0.18 E£9.34

177.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿141

$2.08 E£107

105.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿585

$4.88 E£252

262.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿55.7

$1.37 E£70.5

22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿92.8

$1.68 E£86.9

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.64

$0.20 E£10.20

335.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.15

$0.41 E£21.25

195.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.84

$0.36 E£18.60

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.0

$1.98 E£102

20.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.46

$0.46 E£23.56

217.39%

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

$21.0K ฿695.7K

$33.2K E£1.7M

-36.79%

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

$26.7K ฿883.8K

$28.1K E£1.4M

-4.87%

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

$62.1 ฿2,055

$16.86 E£869

268.15%

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

$12.93 ฿428

$7.68 E£396

68.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿682

$19.40 E£1,001

6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,298

$17.69 E£912

121.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿216

$4.23 E£218

54.14%

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

$803 ฿26.6K

$93.2 E£4,805

761.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿486.6K

$2,534 E£130.7K

479.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,850

$16.54 E£853

237.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿845

$59.4 E£3,065

-57.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,015

$82.8 E£4,269

10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,427

$49.90 E£2,574

46.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$130 E£6,687

273.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,542

$76.0 E£3,920

279.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.3K

$254 E£13.1K

248.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.3K

$148 E£7,641

253.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.9K

$773 E£39.9K

157.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿47.7K

$415 E£21.4K

247.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-72.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Al `arish: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $130 in Al `arish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Al `arish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $113 per month, with Al `arish 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 `arish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al `arish wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al `arish the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,414 in Chiang Mai and $640 in Al `arish 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 $130 in Al `arish. 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 $942 per month in Chiang Mai versus $427 in Al `arish – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $427 in Al `arish versus $942 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al `arish but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al `arish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al `arish delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $427 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al `arish hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al `arish 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 `arish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.