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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Al Mahwit, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,204 in Al Mahwit, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,631 in Al Mahwit, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Al Mahwit, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Mahwit are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Al Mahwit 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$6.24 YER 1,478

-66.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$25.11 YER 5,946

-21.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$9.32 YER 2,207

-37.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 YER 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 YER 583

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$3.75 YER 888

-53.07%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.16 YER 274

-36.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.62 YER 147

-46.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.98 YER 468

-4.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.62 YER 383

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.00 YER 475

-32.50%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.55 YER 842

-39.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$17.01 YER 4,028

-6.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$8.07 YER 1,911

-64.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$18.38 YER 4,353

-42.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$3.27 YER 774

-27.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.03 YER 245

3.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$2.22 YER 525

-31.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.56 YER 370

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.53 YER 361

-16.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.31 YER 311

-16.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.27 YER 300

-45.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.64 YER 151

-23.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.45 YER 818

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 YER 437

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 YER 783

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.42 YER 1,283

-21.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$4.17 YER 987

-71.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$2.15 YER 509

-74.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$7.43 YER 1,759

-68.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$2.04 YER 484

-29.90%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$16.7K YER 4.0M

26.06%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$34.4K YER 8.1M

-21.14%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$106 YER 25.2K

-39.17%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$23.87 YER 5,654

-44.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$102 YER 24.0K

-80.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$5.75 YER 1,362

15.13%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$115 YER 27.2K

599.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$2,168 YER 513.5K

597.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$41.80 YER 9,900

30.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$124 YER 29.3K

-79.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$47.73 YER 11.3K

92.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$41.00 YER 9,708

82.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.25

-50.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Al Mahwit: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Al Mahwit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $264 – making Chiang Mai 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 Mahwit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,165 in Al Mahwit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $920 in Chiang Mai and $776 in Al Mahwit. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $115 in Al Mahwit. 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 Mahwit, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Al Mahwit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Mahwit – 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 Mahwit. 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.