Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beni Mellal Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beni Mellal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $603 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $924 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,246 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Beni Mellal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Beni Mellal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Beni Mellal 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.36 MAD 30.92

-42.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$22.07 MAD 203

-15.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.87 MAD 44.83

60.57%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.25 MAD 11.55

56.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.51 MAD 4.73

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.36 MAD 3.27

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$3.07 MAD 28.30

-30.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.45 MAD 22.54

52.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.76 MAD 6.99

125.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.51 MAD 4.70

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.43 MAD 13.13

-20.28%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.44 MAD 13.23

34.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.52 MAD 78.4

90.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.77 MAD 62.4

-53.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.43 MAD 77.7

29.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.18 MAD 10.86

133.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.16 MAD 10.69

4.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.72 MAD 6.63

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.79 MAD 7.26

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.46 MAD 4.21

204.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.65 MAD 5.97

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.36 MAD 3.33

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.58 MAD 5.34

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.07 MAD 37.44

15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$8.08 MAD 74.4

130.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.42 MAD 13.06

26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.85 MAD 17.01

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.74 MAD 6.84

21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.01 MAD 83.0

113.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.53 MAD 4.84

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.88 MAD 8.12

46.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.72 MAD 25.09

188.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.53 MAD 14.07

-16.99%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$36.7K MAD 338.1K

-42.06%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$29.3K MAD 269.8K

-24.21%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$41.05 MAD 378

68.26%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.88 MAD 100

29.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$34.33 MAD 316

-47.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$18.67 MAD 172

119.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.52 MAD 152

-57.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.63 MAD 61.0

-10.71%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$160 MAD 1,473

86.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$6,587 MAD 60.6K

126.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$37.82 MAD 348

44.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$34.42 MAD 317

-22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$76.0 MAD 700

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$78.7 MAD 725

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$173 MAD 1,590

147.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$117 MAD 1,079

102.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$293 MAD 2,700

173.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$172 MAD 1,587

199.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Beni Mellal: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $173 in Beni Mellal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Beni Mellal. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $167 in Beni Mellal – so Beni Mellal 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 Beni Mellal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $603 in Beni Mellal – roughly 44% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $904 in Beni Mellal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 113% less in Beni Mellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $160 in Beni Mellal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $603 in Beni Mellal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $603 in Beni Mellal to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Beni Mellal. 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.