Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Mukalla

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Al Mukalla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Al Mukalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $842 in Al Mukalla.

Chiang Mai $925
Al Mukalla $842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $1,654 in Al Mukalla.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Al Mukalla $1,654

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $2,466 in Al Mukalla.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Al Mukalla $2,466

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 10% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Al Mukalla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$16.88 YER 3,983

-86.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$84.8 YER 20.0K

-76.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$8.45 YER 1,992

-80.36%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.89 YER 210

-65.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$10.58 YER 2,496

-79.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$15.08 YER 3,557

10.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$25.73 YER 6,070

-89.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$58.5 YER 13.8K

-84.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$14.61 YER 3,446

-83.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$6.37 YER 1,503

-83.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.94 YER 1,165

-67.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$3.29 YER 776

-54.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$7.71 YER 1,818

-83.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$4.15 YER 978

-73.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$2.58 YER 609

-79.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Al Mukalla

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Al Mukalla

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Al Mukalla

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Al Mukalla

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Al Mukalla

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Al Mukalla

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Al Mukalla

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $85.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $602 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🕒 Local time

18:41 6:41 PM

14:41 2:41 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

176,942

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Yemeni Rial YER ﷼

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

YER, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Chiang Mai Al Mukalla 5,320 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

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Chiang Mai
Al Mukalla

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, transport, and leisure. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,388 in Chiang Mai and $1,262 in Al Mukalla 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.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 155% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $842 in Al Mukalla versus $925 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al Mukalla 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 Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.