Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-Qurain

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,380 in Al-Qurain, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Al-Qurain
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Al-Qurain Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Al-Qurain

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,380

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Al-Qurain

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-Qurain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,380 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Al-Qurain $1,380

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,311 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Al-Qurain $2,311

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,241 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Al-Qurain $3,241

Chiang Mai is about 32% cheaper than Al-Qurain, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Al-Qurain is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$12.78 KWD 3.93

-83.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$65.4 KWD 20.13

-71.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$8.59 KWD 2.64

-34.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$5.29 KWD 1.63

-68.62%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.75 KWD 0.23

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.31 KWD 0.10

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.61 KWD 0.50

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$1.49 KWD 0.46

-5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$1.97 KWD 0.61

-29.44%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$2.07 KWD 0.64

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$4.24 KWD 1.31

289.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$6.82 KWD 2.10

-60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$10.25 KWD 3.16

-12.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$2.38 KWD 0.73

0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.91 KWD 0.59

-45.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$1.53 KWD 0.47

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$1.37 KWD 0.42

-9.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$1.48 KWD 0.45

-26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$2.36 KWD 0.72

-67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.53 KWD 0.16

-3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.73 KWD 0.84

50.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.81 KWD 0.25

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$4.78 KWD 1.47

-75.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$3.25 KWD 1.00

-94.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$16.16 KWD 4.97

-88.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$0.33 KWD 0.10

345.45%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$23.7K KWD 7,309

-11.52%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$19.5K KWD 5,993

36.18%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$66.1 KWD 20.35

-5.38%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$22.60 KWD 6.95

-48.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$29.98 KWD 9.23

-32.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$98.3 KWD 30.27

-61.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$13.03 KWD 4.01

-50.04%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$512 KWD 158

42.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$9,551 KWD 2,940

73.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$37.88 KWD 11.66

41.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$39.66 KWD 12.21

-37.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$96.8 KWD 29.80

-6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$89.7 KWD 27.62

-19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$802 KWD 247

-39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$612 KWD 188

-49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$1,725 KWD 531

-38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$1,352 KWD 416

-51.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,385 KWD 1,350

-86.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.53

-14.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Al-Qurain: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Al-Qurain

$612 44.4% 97.6% $302

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Al-Qurain

$186 13.5% 21.5% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Al-Qurain

$119 8.6% 9.7% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Al-Qurain

$119 8.6% 25.6% $24

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Al-Qurain

$196 14.2% 156% $119

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Al-Qurain

$24 * 1.8% 58.6% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Al-Qurain

$124 9% 144% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $802 in Al-Qurain. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Al-Qurain are about 7.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $65 in Al-Qurain. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Al-Qurain – so Al-Qurain wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇼 Al-Qurain

🕒 Local time

00:21 12:21 AM

20:21 8:21 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,458

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Al-Qurain 5,260 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Al-Qurain

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-Qurain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al-Qurain is pricier by about 48%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,070 in Al-Qurain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $802 in Al-Qurain.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $65 in Al-Qurain. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Al-Qurain – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,380 in Al-Qurain. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,380 in Al-Qurain. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-Qurain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.