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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $664 in El Jadida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in El Jadida, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,307 in El Jadida, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than El Jadida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Jadida are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, El Jadida 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.85 MAD 35.91

-49.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$19.90 MAD 186

-7.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.75 MAD 62.9

10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.52 MAD 14.15

32.89%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.43 MAD 4.03

97.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.32 MAD 2.98

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.76 MAD 25.78

-22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.24 MAD 30.23

10.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.88 MAD 8.21

87.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.47 MAD 4.39

234.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.85 MAD 17.21

-35.68%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.86 MAD 17.38

4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.07 MAD 47.25

219.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.84 MAD 35.83

-22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.92 MAD 73.8

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.58 MAD 14.74

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.27 MAD 11.83

-7.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.76 MAD 7.04

122.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.80 MAD 7.46

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.79 MAD 7.38

74.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.49 MAD 4.61

144.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.33 MAD 3.10

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.60 MAD 5.63

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.03 MAD 37.58

15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.42 MAD 41.17

298.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.41 MAD 22.52

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.93 MAD 27.34

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.50 MAD 4.69

76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$25.83 MAD 241

-25.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.07 MAD 10.00

27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.49 MAD 4.56

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.32 MAD 30.94

147.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.53 MAD 14.26

-20.26%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.9K MAD 307.2K

-35.19%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$30.0K MAD 280.0K

-24.96%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$31.73 MAD 296

122.72%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.91 MAD 102

28.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$33.07 MAD 308

-47.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$27.23 MAD 254

54.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$17.78 MAD 166

-61.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.68 MAD 62.3

-11.38%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$89.2 MAD 832

245.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$2,638 MAD 24.6K

464.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$40.04 MAD 373

39.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$41.07 MAD 383

-36.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$66.4 MAD 619

24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$60.2 MAD 561

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$231 MAD 2,155

86.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$173 MAD 1,613

38.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$390 MAD 3,633

111.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$250 MAD 2,334

104.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,597 MAD 14.9K

19.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$822 MAD 7,661

78.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$473 MAD 4,411

22.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $231 in El Jadida. 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 22% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in El Jadida. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $148 in El Jadida – so El Jadida 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 El Jadida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than El Jadida, 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 $996 in El Jadida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $89.2 in El Jadida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $664 in El Jadida, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Jadida costs $664 versus $861 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 Jadida. 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.