Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cairo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cairo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $666 in Cairo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,045 in Cairo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,425 in Cairo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Cairo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cairo 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.92 E£253

-57.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$29.75 E£1,526

-33.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.98 E£307

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.80 E£92.3

1.67%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.35 E£18.09

122.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.13 E£6.79

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.49 E£76.3

57.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.33 E£120

58.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.99 E£51.0

105.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.81 E£41.80

97.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.73 E£37.28

94.52%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.21 E£62.0

80.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$4.33 E£222

267.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.16 E£265

-40.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$9.35 E£480

5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.81 E£92.8

45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.79 E£40.64

39.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.61 E£31.36

167.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.54 E£27.47

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.39 E£20.00

217.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.42 E£21.52

169.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.34 E£17.32

117.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.24 E£12.34

108.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.10 E£108

103.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.91 E£406

127.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.61 E£82.7

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.15 E£111

34.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.34 E£17.40

176.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$7.76 E£398

612.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.37 E£19.18

232.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.22 E£11.09

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$1.60 E£82.0

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.46 E£23.68

213.04%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$34.3K E£1.8M

-38.25%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$28.6K E£1.5M

-4.67%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$27.11 E£1,391

139.51%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$8.38 E£430

59.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$13.70 E£703

52.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$25.48 E£1,308

58.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$6.81 E£350

-42.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.17 E£214

60.91%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$111 E£5,713

606.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,425 E£175.7K

341.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$44.85 E£2,301

25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$47.37 E£2,431

-47.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$116 E£5,975

-20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$61.7 E£3,164

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$215 E£11.0K

124.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$201 E£10.3K

42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$524 E£26.9K

73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$347 E£17.8K

53.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$801 E£41.1K

147.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$515 E£26.4K

181.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$211 E£10.8K

187.42%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cairo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $215 in Cairo. 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 187% 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 $30.00 in Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $146 in Cairo – so Cairo 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 Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $999 in Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 66% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cairo. 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.