🙂A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,454 in As-salimiyah, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,321 in As-salimiyah, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,188 in As-salimiyah, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 41% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while As-salimiyah is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$9.53KWD 2.93
-79.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$44.42KWD 13.64
-57.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$8.01KWD 2.46
-1.12%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.44KWD 0.75
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.66KWD 1.12
-
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$6.06KWD 1.86
-68.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.64KWD 0.20
31.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.38KWD 0.12
-7.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.44KWD 0.44
13.89%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.82KWD 0.25
97.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.61KWD 0.50
-26.71%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.06KWD 0.63
-2.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$4.95KWD 1.52
221.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$6.26KWD 1.92
-51.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$10.28KWD 3.16
4.77%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$2.00KWD 0.62
30.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.63KWD 0.50
-25.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$1.59KWD 0.49
6.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$1.41KWD 0.43
12.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$1.27KWD 0.39
3.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$0.91KWD 0.28
28.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$1.53KWD 0.47
-56.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.49KWD 0.15
14.29%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$3.33KWD 1.02
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.01KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.39KWD 0.43
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$2.98KWD 0.92
52.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$1.11KWD 0.34
-19.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$48.27KWD 14.82
-59.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$3.33KWD 1.02
-59.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$3.21KWD 0.98
-57.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$16.51KWD 5.07
-50.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$0.34KWD 0.10
273.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$21.5KKWD 6,589
-1.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$19.6KKWD 6,023
14.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$39.08KWD 12.00
79.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$18.22KWD 5.59
-24.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$25.96KWD 7.97
-32.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$94.4KWD 28.97
-55.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$65.4KWD 20.08
-89.91%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$8.80KWD 2.70
-34.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$276KWD 84.9
10.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$6,650KWD 2,041
122.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$42.81KWD 13.14
27.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$41.80KWD 12.83
-37.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$86.4KWD 26.54
-2.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$69.5KWD 21.34
-0.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$978KWD 300
-56.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$723KWD 222
-67.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$1,828KWD 561
-54.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$1,379KWD 423
-62.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
As-salimiyah
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
$2,841KWD 872
-77.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
7.14
-29.97%
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 As-salimiyah: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $978 in As-salimiyah. 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 347% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah 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 As-salimiyah: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is As-salimiyah cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $2,180 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai vs As-salimiyah?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,454 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 149% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Chiang Mai or As-salimiyah?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in As-salimiyah at $1,454. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Chiang Mai or As-salimiyah more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – 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 As-salimiyah?
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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado