Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Faiyum Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Faiyum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $451 in El Faiyum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $759 in El Faiyum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,067 in El Faiyum, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 110% more than El Faiyum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Faiyum are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, El Faiyum 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$2.43 E£124

-14.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$13.87 E£706

41.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.95 E£252

14.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.26 E£64.1

43.65%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.34 E£17.35

108.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.12 E£6.33

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.40 E£71.3

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.99 E£152

21.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.72 E£36.73

172.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.76 E£38.78

97.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.66 E£33.83

103.03%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.21 E£61.7

86.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$2.99 E£152

443.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.40 E£224

-32.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$8.09 E£412

22.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.57 E£80.1

63.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.68 E£34.59

55.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.58 E£29.43

177.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.35 E£18.05

334.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.25 E£12.69

408.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.34 E£17.05

214.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.27 E£13.73

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.20 E£10.15

155.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.01 E£102

108.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$5.92 E£301

201.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.31 E£66.7

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.27 E£116

25.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.07 E£3.48

1228.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$5.77 E£293

833.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.46 E£23.37

167.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.31 E£15.81

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$1.01 E£51.6

139.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.39 E£19.97

261.54%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$32.7K E£1.7M

-34.43%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$28.7K E£1.5M

-4.81%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$14.37 E£731

343.08%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$7.43 E£378

72.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$13.93 E£709

45.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$24.75 E£1,259

56.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$25.10 E£1,277

-84.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$2.39 E£121

182.01%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$26.07 E£1,327

2884.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$896 E£45.6K

1531.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$33.13 E£1,686

63.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$45.20 E£2,300

-43.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$125 E£6,339

-24.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$46.90 E£2,386

56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$185 E£9,388

165.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$84.6 E£4,305

241.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$334 E£17.0K

167.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$180 E£9,164

187.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$419 E£21.3K

367.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$210 E£10.7K

603.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$71.2 E£3,621

746.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for El Faiyum: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $185 in El Faiyum. 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 746% 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 $14.00 in El Faiyum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $121 – making El Faiyum 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 El Faiyum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 110% more than El Faiyum, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $676 in El Faiyum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $26.07 in El Faiyum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Faiyum, where all-in costs run around $451, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In El Faiyum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Faiyum costs $451 versus $947 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 El Faiyum. 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.