Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Rehab Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Rehab

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $589 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $914 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,240 in Al Rehab, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Al Rehab are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al Rehab 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$4.99 E£254

-58.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$15.73 E£799

24.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.79 E£243

17.95%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.65 E£83.9

9.70%

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

$0.71 ฿23.46

$0.36 E£18.25

97.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.39

$0.15 E£7.72

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.26 E£63.8

77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿120

$2.38 E£121

52.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.94 E£47.74

108.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.42

$0.61 E£30.92

145.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.96

$0.78 E£39.60

71.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.38 E£70.4

63.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$4.20 E£214

287.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.2

$4.29 E£218

-31.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$8.84 E£449

12.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.72 E£87.4

49.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$0.74 E£37.63

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.62 E£31.25

159.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$0.54 E£27.40

181.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.80

$0.42 E£21.41

202.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.09

$0.42 E£21.34

154.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.70

$0.46 E£23.17

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.20 E£10.14

155.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.02 E£103

107.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿588

$6.72 E£342

165.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.01 E£51.4

67.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.21 E£112

28.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.45

$0.38 E£19.11

144.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,772

$9.91 E£504

443.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.61

$0.33 E£16.60

272.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.97

$0.21 E£10.84

176.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.8

$1.60 E£81.4

51.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$0.41 E£20.76

243.90%

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

$21.4K ฿705.5K

$33.5K E£1.7M

-35.90%

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

$27.3K ฿899.3K

$24.0K E£1.2M

14.07%

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

$63.7 ฿2,095

$27.34 E£1,390

132.88%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$8.32 E£423

54.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$13.69 E£696

47.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,275

$16.61 E£844

133.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$5.84 E£297

-32.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$2.96 E£150

127.70%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$29.79 E£1,514

2511.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.7K

$798 E£40.6K

1730.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,786

$23.94 E£1,216

126.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$46.76 E£2,376

-45.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,104

$105 E£5,355

-10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,416

$63.4 E£3,221

15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$246 E£12.5K

99.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,518

$171 E£8,686

69.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$329 E£16.7K

171.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$323 E£16.4K

60.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$783 E£39.8K

149.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$814 E£41.4K

81.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$117 E£5,944

414.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al Rehab: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $246 in Al Rehab. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 415% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Al Rehab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $132 – making Al Rehab the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rehab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Al Rehab, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $883 in Al Rehab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Rehab, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $947 in Chiang Mai and $589 in Al Rehab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 443% less in Al Rehab. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Rehab, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Al Rehab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Rehab costs $589 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rehab. 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.