Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-'udayliyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-'udayliyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,334 in Al-'udayliyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,226 in Al-'udayliyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,118 in Al-'udayliyah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Al-'udayliyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Al-'udayliyah is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$7.71 KWD 2.37

-74.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$59.3 KWD 18.22

-69.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.34 KWD 2.56

-10.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$5.38 KWD 1.65

-62.45%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.63 KWD 0.19

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.36 KWD 0.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.43 KWD 0.44

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.06 KWD 0.32

48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-28.31%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.02 KWD 0.62

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$4.38 KWD 1.35

269.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.46 KWD 1.99

-53.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$9.41 KWD 2.89

16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.23 KWD 0.69

21.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.51 KWD 0.46

11.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.37 KWD 0.42

16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.27 KWD 0.39

8.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.10 KWD 0.34

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-58.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.46 KWD 0.14

21.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 KWD 0.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.98 KWD 0.92

55.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.88 KWD 0.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$43.60 KWD 13.40

-55.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-59.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-59.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$16.22 KWD 4.99

-49.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.36 KWD 0.11

238.89%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$20.8K KWD 6,386

2.78%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$19.0K KWD 5,854

18.30%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$61.5 KWD 18.89

15.00%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$18.40 KWD 5.66

-23.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$25.62 KWD 7.88

-31.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$92.1 KWD 28.31

-54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$45.57 KWD 14.01

-84.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$11.39 KWD 3.50

-48.02%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$288 KWD 88.5

7.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,174 KWD 1,898

140.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$42.09 KWD 12.94

32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$43.05 KWD 13.23

-39.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$88.2 KWD 27.10

-5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$82.9 KWD 25.48

-15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$782 KWD 240

-44.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$613 KWD 189

-61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,595 KWD 490

-48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,295 KWD 398

-60.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$12.0K KWD 3,686

-84.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$2,860 KWD 879

-48.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$5,515 KWD 1,695

-89.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

-29.97%

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-'udayliyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $782 in Al-'udayliyah. 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 852% higher in Al-'udayliyah, 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 $59.0 in Al-'udayliyah. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Al-'udayliyah – so Al-'udayliyah 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-'udayliyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-'udayliyah costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $2,002 in Al-'udayliyah. 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. 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 $1,334 in Al-'udayliyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Al-'udayliyah at $1,334. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-'udayliyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,334 in Al-'udayliyah. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-'udayliyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.