😐A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $514 in Al-qardahah, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $800 in Al-qardahah, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in Al-qardahah, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai36% lower, Al-qardahah62% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$5.87SYP 666
-66.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$27.06SYP 3,070
-30.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$5.38SYP 610
47.21%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$1.56SYP 177
22.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$1.17SYP 133
-28.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.73SYP 82.5
-52.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$1.57SYP 178
40.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$2.55SYP 290
49.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$0.96SYP 109
70.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.59SYP 66.5
174.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.69SYP 192
-30.18%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$1.94SYP 220
3.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$3.10SYP 351
412.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$7.84SYP 890
-61.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$11.25SYP 1,277
-4.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$0.92SYP 104
183.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.80SYP 204
-32.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$1.03SYP 117
65.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$0.88SYP 100
79.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$0.66SYP 74.4
100.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$0.62SYP 70.7
88.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$0.38SYP 42.70
76.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.63SYP 71.1
-11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$3.04SYP 344
49.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$8.05SYP 913
126.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.01SYP 115
81.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$1.82SYP 207
77.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$0.98SYP 111
37.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$1.22SYP 138
10.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$6.51SYP 738
26.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$3.68SYP 417
-65.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$18.7KSYP 2.1M
13.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$20.7KSYP 2.3M
8.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$100SYP 11.4K
-30.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$8.32SYP 944
65.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$55.7SYP 6,319
-68.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$2.95SYP 335
95.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$43.49SYP 4,935
603.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$1,834SYP 208.1K
708.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$29.38SYP 3,334
85.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$25.82SYP 2,929
1.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$44.10SYP 5,004
91.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$55.9SYP 6,339
24.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Al-qardahah
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
13.75
-63.64%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Al-qardahah: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Al-qardahah. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $173 in Al-qardahah – so Al-qardahah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Al-qardahah: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Al-qardahah cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $771 in Al-qardahah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or Al-qardahah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Chiang Mai and Al-qardahah?
Groceries cost about 40% 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.
Is $1,000 enough for either Chiang Mai or Al-qardahah?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $514 in Al-qardahah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Chiang Mai or Al-qardahah more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Al-qardahah?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado