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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $640 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,016 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,393 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Al-qardahah 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$9.83 SYP 1,194

-78.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$44.94 SYP 5,460

-56.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.86 SYP 833

-17.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.79 SYP 460

-52.24%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.29 SYP 278

-66.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.87 SYP 106

-59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.92 SYP 233

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.06 SYP 372

23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.09 SYP 133

88.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.42 SYP 51.0

259.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.64 SYP 200

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.57 SYP 191

43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$3.87 SYP 471

318.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.69 SYP 691

-49.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.55 SYP 1,647

-30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.02 SYP 124

162.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.41 SYP 172

-22.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.09 SYP 132

48.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.03 SYP 125

41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.75 SYP 91.6

70.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.79 SYP 96.2

34.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.40 SYP 48.87

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.61 SYP 74.2

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.82 SYP 343

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.07 SYP 737

201.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.10 SYP 134

48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.91 SYP 354

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.02 SYP 124

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.54 SYP 187

-62.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.84 SYP 953

-69.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$3.67 SYP 446

-60.49%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

41.98%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

38.82%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$137 SYP 16.7K

-53.62%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.45 SYP 1,148

36.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$45.65 SYP 5,547

-55.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.40 SYP 656

21.85%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$66.7 SYP 8,108

1074.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,806 SYP 219.5K

712.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$28.38 SYP 3,449

94.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$40.11 SYP 4,873

-38.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$60.0 SYP 7,288

56.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$57.9 SYP 7,032

27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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-qardahah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Al-qardahah. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $168 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 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $960 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $45.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.