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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $647 in El Jadida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $978 in El Jadida, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,310 in El Jadida, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than El Jadida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Jadida are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, El Jadida 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.78 MAD 34.77

-48.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$19.61 MAD 180

-4.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.69 MAD 61.5

16.89%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.52 MAD 13.95

28.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.46 MAD 4.24

84.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.32 MAD 2.93

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.83 MAD 26.03

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.21 MAD 29.48

16.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.84 MAD 7.75

103.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.44 MAD 4.02

270.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.76 MAD 16.21

-35.23%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.78 MAD 16.38

8.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.88 MAD 44.88

232.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.87 MAD 35.53

-19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.18 MAD 75.2

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.56 MAD 14.36

76.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.28 MAD 11.76

-5.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.72 MAD 6.58

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.78 MAD 7.17

103.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.74 MAD 6.79

89.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.50 MAD 4.61

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.33 MAD 3.04

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 MAD 5.20

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.18 MAD 38.45

12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.47 MAD 41.04

317.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.38 MAD 21.83

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.93 MAD 26.96

10.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.51 MAD 4.69

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$26.35 MAD 242

-27.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.08 MAD 9.91

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.48 MAD 4.43

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.33 MAD 30.60

135.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.51 MAD 13.91

-15.89%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.5K MAD 298.7K

-34.54%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.1K MAD 276.3K

-26.12%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$32.07 MAD 295

115.37%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$11.03 MAD 101

27.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$32.95 MAD 303

-45.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$27.12 MAD 249

51.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.45 MAD 160

-60.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.59 MAD 60.6

-10.17%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$88.7 MAD 815

237.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,576 MAD 23.7K

480.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$40.67 MAD 374

34.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$40.56 MAD 373

-34.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$68.4 MAD 628

24.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$61.3 MAD 563

15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$223 MAD 2,052

91.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$173 MAD 1,592

37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$380 MAD 3,493

110.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$242 MAD 2,225

112.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,660 MAD 15.3K

18.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$840 MAD 7,721

75.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$486 MAD 4,463

27.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $223 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 27% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in El Jadida. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $146 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 34% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $970 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $88.7 in El Jadida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $647 in El Jadida, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Jadida costs $647 versus $866 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.