Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-birah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-birah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,121 in Al-birah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,935 in Al-birah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,749 in Al-birah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Al-birah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-birah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al-birah 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$9.56 ₪27.44

-79.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$41.99 ₪121

-55.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$11.25 ₪32.29

-30.49%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.62 ₪10.40

-46.13%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.74 ₪2.13

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.61 ₪1.75

-42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$5.47 ₪15.71

-61.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.60 ₪16.06

-33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.93 ₪5.54

-11.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.54 ₪1.54

201.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$2.50 ₪7.19

-54.40%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.19 ₪6.29

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.03 ₪17.32

168.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.43 ₪18.47

-51.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$15.20 ₪43.64

-28.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.54 ₪7.29

8.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.43 ₪4.10

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.39 ₪3.98

16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.98 ₪5.69

-19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.10 ₪3.14

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.37 ₪3.95

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.44 ₪4.13

-54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.85 ₪2.44

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.57 ₪21.72

-38.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.79 ₪8.02

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.42 ₪6.95

33.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.96 ₪2.76

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$59.0 ₪169

-67.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.85 ₪8.19

-50.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.29 ₪3.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$14.04 ₪40.31

-44.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$2.01 ₪5.77

-36.82%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$36.4K ₪104.4K

-41.49%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$44.7K ₪128.3K

-50.28%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$84.9 ₪244

-18.63%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$19.01 ₪54.6

-25.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$47.41 ₪136

-62.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$55.8 ₪160

-26.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$28.68 ₪82.3

-75.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.34 ₪23.95

-29.02%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$216 ₪619

38.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,780 ₪10.9K

295.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$41.86 ₪120

30.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$38.54 ₪111

-30.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$56.4 ₪162

50.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$41.96 ₪120

68.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$352 ₪1,011

21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$327 ₪940

-27.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$858 ₪2,462

-6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$945 ₪2,714

-45.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

-11.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-birah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $352 in Al-birah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Al-birah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Al-birah – so Al-birah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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-birah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $1,121 in Al-birah – roughly 29% apart. Al-birah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,681 in Al-birah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Al-birah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $42.00 in Al-birah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Al-birah at $1,121. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-birah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,121 in Al-birah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-birah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.