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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $476 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $762 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,049 in Al Rehab, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Al Rehab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Rehab are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al Rehab 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.05 E£207

-51.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$14.06 E£718

30.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.56 E£233

64.04%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.46 E£74.6

38.36%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.32 E£16.19

165.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.15 E£7.77

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.41 E£72.2

51.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.70 E£138

32.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.90 E£46.05

83.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.31 E£15.84

406.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.73 E£37.25

63.01%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.53 E£78.3

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.44 E£176

370.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.28 E£218

-30.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.78 E£448

24.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.29 E£65.9

110.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.56 E£28.77

108.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.47 E£24.23

259.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.42 E£21.35

280.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.46 E£23.52

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.40 E£20.66

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.22 E£11.18

204.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.22 E£11.20

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.97 E£101

135.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.06 E£361

149.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.28 E£65.4

45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.78 E£90.9

85.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.20 E£10.00

340.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.41 E£21.04

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.29 E£14.67

362.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.98 E£49.87

737.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.32 E£16.42

281.25%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$36.4K E£1.9M

-41.34%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$30.7K E£1.6M

-26.71%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$24.07 E£1,229

193.60%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.09 E£515

39.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$12.72 E£650

37.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$21.93 E£1,119

92.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.88 E£147

105.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$32.66 E£1,667

844.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,969 E£100.5K

655.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$23.81 E£1,216

134.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$43.62 E£2,227

-40.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$107 E£5,459

-22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$57.8 E£2,952

21.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$189 E£9,632

128.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$101 E£5,136

137.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$313 E£16.0K

162.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$177 E£9,023

189.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$807 E£41.2K

137.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$814 E£41.6K

80.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$120 E£6,137

381.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-75.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Rehab: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $189 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 382% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Al Rehab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $123 – 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 81% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $713 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $476 in Al Rehab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $32.66 in Al Rehab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $476 in Al Rehab, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Rehab costs $476 versus $861 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.