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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $552 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $878 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,204 in El Kef, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Kef are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, El Kef 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.35 TND 9.80

-41.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$13.69 TND 40.07

34.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.41 TND 9.98

119.35%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.71 TND 2.08

184.51%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.54 TND 1.57

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.25 TND 0.74

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$0.87 TND 2.54

145.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.05 TND 3.07

241.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.44 TND 1.30

275.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.16 TND 0.48

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.48 TND 4.33

-19.59%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.50 TND 4.40

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.10 TND 32.48

45.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.85 TND 17.12

-48.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.28 TND 38.85

-17.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.24 TND 6.55

20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.66 TND 4.85

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.00 TND 2.92

69.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.58 TND 1.71

175.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.43 TND 1.25

220.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.18 TND 0.53

566.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.52 TND 1.51

28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.29 TND 0.84

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.40 TND 9.96

36.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.33 TND 12.67

306.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.69 TND 2.02

169.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$0.95 TND 2.77

247.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.35 TND 1.03

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.12 TND 29.60

91.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.30 TND 0.88

353.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.29 TND 0.86

362.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.38 TND 21.59

11.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.82 TND 2.41

48.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.9K TND 105.0K

-40.51%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.1K TND 99.9K

-33.99%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$27.36 TND 80.1

158.30%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.88 TND 28.90

42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.28 TND 41.77

22.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$29.03 TND 85.0

45.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.50 TND 36.57

-44.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.60 TND 13.46

28.70%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$67.0 TND 196

360.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,509 TND 7,340

493.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$23.60 TND 69.1

136.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$44.81 TND 131

-41.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$40.60 TND 119

104.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$64.5 TND 189

9.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$197 TND 578

118.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$133 TND 390

79.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$383 TND 1,121

114.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$267 TND 780

92.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$829 TND 2,426

130.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$560 TND 1,638

162.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$169 TND 495

242.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

-63.24%

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 Kef: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $197 in El Kef. 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 243% 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 $14.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $170 – making El Kef 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 Kef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than El Kef, 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 $828 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Kef, 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 $67.0 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $552 in El Kef, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Kef costs $552 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 Kef. 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.