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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $440 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $710 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $980 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 112% more than Al Kharijah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Kharijah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Al Kharijah 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$3.57 E£186

-41.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$13.65 E£712

43.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.13 E£215

37.29%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.35 E£70.6

34.07%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.34 E£17.99

126.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.12 E£6.31

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.46 E£75.9

51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.55 E£133

48.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.77 E£39.91

166.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.66 E£34.65

128.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.55 E£28.68

154.55%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.11 E£57.9

103.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$3.04 E£159

432.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.51 E£235

-35.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.38 E£385

27.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.63 E£85.0

64.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.73 E£38.10

49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.42 E£21.69

285.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.33 E£17.45

342.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.36 E£18.56

255.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.35 E£18.18

202.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.23 E£12.16

213.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.20 E£10.23

165.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.93 E£101

119.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.54 E£289

230.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.09 E£56.8

49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.22 E£116

30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.19 E£9.82

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.38 E£19.72

207.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.23 E£11.89

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.76 E£91.8

35.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.41 E£21.47

253.66%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$29.3K E£1.5M

-28.28%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$29.3K E£1.5M

-9.94%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$15.74 E£821

304.38%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$7.12 E£371

81.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$14.78 E£771

38.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$15.96 E£832

144.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$2.58 E£134

155.04%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$86.0 E£4,485

811.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,743 E£90.9K

741.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$19.65 E£1,025

180.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$46.83 E£2,442

-47.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$131 E£6,827

-28.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$44.89 E£2,341

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$113 E£5,884

334.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$72.1 E£3,760

299.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$290 E£15.1K

207.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$152 E£7,917

243.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$770 E£40.2K

156.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$372 E£19.4K

288.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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 Kharijah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $113 in Al Kharijah. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Al Kharijah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $117 – making Al Kharijah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kharijah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 112%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $660 in Al Kharijah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $932 in Chiang Mai and $440 in Al Kharijah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $86.0 in Al Kharijah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Kharijah, where all-in costs run around $440, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Al Kharijah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kharijah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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