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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $520 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $814 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,108 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al-qardahah 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.14 SYP 679

-67.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$27.94 SYP 3,088

-32.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.42 SYP 599

42.99%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.55 SYP 171

23.87%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.16 SYP 129

-31.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.68 SYP 75.3

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.61 SYP 178

37.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.47 SYP 273

48.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.95 SYP 105

73.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.64 SYP 70.7

154.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.77 SYP 195

-32.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.89 SYP 208

5.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$3.10 SYP 342

415.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.74 SYP 855

-60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.22 SYP 1,240

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.92 SYP 102

200.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.79 SYP 197

-34.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.03 SYP 114

59.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.90 SYP 100.0

68.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.63 SYP 69.1

119.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.67 SYP 74.2

77.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.38 SYP 41.73

84.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.61 SYP 67.5

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.94 SYP 325

55.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.09 SYP 673

171.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.01 SYP 112

81.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.77 SYP 195

80.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.02 SYP 113

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.27 SYP 141

5.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.39 SYP 706

22.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$3.59 SYP 397

-65.74%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

16.79%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.9K SYP 2.3M

7.67%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$101 SYP 11.1K

-30.09%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.52 SYP 941

60.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$54.7 SYP 6,038

-68.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.98 SYP 330

93.62%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$43.91 SYP 4,852

599.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,817 SYP 200.8K

704.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$29.32 SYP 3,240

90.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$26.12 SYP 2,887

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$44.71 SYP 4,940

91.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$56.5 SYP 6,241

27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Al-qardahah. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $169 in Al-qardahah – so Al-qardahah 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-qardahah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $780 in Al-qardahah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $520 in Al-qardahah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – 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-qardahah. 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.