Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Hidd Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Hidd

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,756 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,145 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,535 in Al Hidd.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 47% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Al Hidd is 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$6.73 BHD 2.54

-69.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$40.33 BHD 15.20

-51.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿188

$7.57 BHD 2.85

-25.10%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.78 BHD 1.43

-52.12%

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

$0.77 ฿25.52

$0.82 BHD 0.31

-6.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.47

$0.15 BHD 0.06

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$6.81 BHD 2.57

-67.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$10.18 BHD 3.84

-62.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.0

$1.41 BHD 0.53

45.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.3

$1.06 BHD 0.40

42.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.47

$2.35 BHD 0.89

-40.43%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.0

$2.29 BHD 0.86

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$8.82 BHD 3.32

83.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.2

$5.33 BHD 2.01

-45.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$5.38 BHD 2.03

75.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.0

$2.29 BHD 0.86

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.20

$2.24 BHD 0.84

-51.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.7

$1.88 BHD 0.71

-13.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.51

$1.41 BHD 0.53

3.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.45

$1.01 BHD 0.38

26.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.14

$1.36 BHD 0.51

-22.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.83

$1.51 BHD 0.57

-52.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.48

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-36.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿140

$5.21 BHD 1.96

-18.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$18.75 BHD 7.07

-2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.54 BHD 1.34

-53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.67 BHD 1.01

8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.17

$1.62 BHD 0.61

-45.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,786

$52.1 BHD 19.62

3.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.96

$5.33 BHD 2.01

-78.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.21

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-83.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.2

$15.82 BHD 5.96

-84.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.17

$0.65 BHD 0.24

123.08%

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

$21.0K ฿698.0K

$19.7K BHD 7,434

6.53%

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

$26.4K ฿877.8K

$20.8K BHD 7,835

27.11%

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

$63.7 ฿2,114

$154 BHD 58.1

-58.71%

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

$12.89 ฿428

$24.76 BHD 9.33

-47.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$35.48 BHD 13.37

-42.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,296

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$52.1 BHD 19.64

-92.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$10.67 BHD 4.02

-38.33%

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

$784 ฿26.0K

$493 BHD 186

59.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.4K

$10.9K BHD 4,118

34.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,831

$51.7 BHD 19.50

6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿822

$57.4 BHD 21.63

-56.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,127

$88.5 BHD 33.35

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,457

$89.0 BHD 33.53

-16.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$675 BHD 255

-27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,574

$942 BHD 355

-69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$789 BHD 298

12.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$651 BHD 245

-19.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,916 BHD 722

-68.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.21

-10.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $675 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 219% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $40.00 in Al Hidd. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $234, with Al Hidd 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 Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 219% lower in Al Hidd. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $675 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 3% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $493 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,756 in Al Hidd, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al Hidd 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.