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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $531 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $817 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,104 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al-qardahah 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$6.05 SYP 736

-66.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$28.02 SYP 3,404

-33.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.64 SYP 686

39.36%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$1.53 SYP 187

32.68%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$1.14 SYP 138

-29.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.67 SYP 81.6

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$1.57 SYP 191

36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.55 SYP 310

43.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$0.95 SYP 116

82.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.59 SYP 72.0

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$1.68 SYP 205

-28.57%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$1.91 SYP 233

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$3.02 SYP 367

437.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.52 SYP 914

-59.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$11.14 SYP 1,354

-3.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$0.88 SYP 106

214.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.76 SYP 213

-33.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.98 SYP 119

74.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.96 SYP 117

65.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$0.66 SYP 80.4

110.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$0.66 SYP 79.7

75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$0.37 SYP 45.24

78.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$0.61 SYP 74.2

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.03 SYP 369

53.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$7.98 SYP 969

122.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$0.98 SYP 119

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.76 SYP 214

89.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$1.01 SYP 123

39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$1.28 SYP 155

4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.51 SYP 791

24.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$3.61 SYP 438

-65.93%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

15.50%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

2.44%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$102 SYP 12.4K

-29.97%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$8.17 SYP 993

71.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$55.8 SYP 6,781

-67.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.06 SYP 372

86.93%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$43.58 SYP 5,296

607.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$1,795 SYP 218.1K

717.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$29.53 SYP 3,589

88.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$25.53 SYP 3,103

2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$45.17 SYP 5,489

87.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$56.0 SYP 6,803

26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: July 27, 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $170 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 61%, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $796 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 44% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $531 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.