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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $545 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $876 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,208 in El Kef, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Kef are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, El Kef 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.32 TND 9.64

-41.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$13.33 TND 38.71

39.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.31 TND 9.61

136.25%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.65 TND 1.88

200.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.52 TND 1.52

63.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.25 TND 0.73

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$0.93 TND 2.70

129.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.05 TND 3.05

255.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.48 TND 1.38

256.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.18 TND 0.51

805.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.54 TND 4.47

-25.97%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.55 TND 4.51

24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.38 TND 33.04

42.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.55 TND 16.12

-43.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.70 TND 39.78

-20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.26 TND 6.55

21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 TND 4.99

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.00 TND 2.92

62.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.63 TND 1.84

152.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.43 TND 1.24

225.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.19 TND 0.54

515.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.48 TND 1.39

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.29 TND 0.83

82.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.30 TND 9.59

42.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.48 TND 13.00

316.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.66 TND 1.91

172.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.00 TND 2.90

223.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.35 TND 1.03

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.31 TND 29.93

86.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.32 TND 0.94

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.29 TND 0.85

344.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.27 TND 21.10

7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.83 TND 2.40

53.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.3K TND 102.6K

-39.78%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.9K TND 101.2K

-36.30%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$27.65 TND 80.3

149.80%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.63 TND 27.95

46.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.36 TND 41.70

25.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$28.84 TND 83.8

42.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.60 TND 36.58

-44.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.44 TND 12.89

33.33%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$66.4 TND 193

350.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,496 TND 7,246

499.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$24.18 TND 70.2

126.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$44.90 TND 130

-40.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$40.74 TND 118

108.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$64.2 TND 186

10.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$198 TND 576

115.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$138 TND 401

72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$373 TND 1,083

114.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$274 TND 797

87.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,034 TND 3,003

90.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$668 TND 1,938

120.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$171 TND 496

261.50%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for El Kef: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $198 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 262% 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 $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $172 – 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 59% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $817 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $66.4 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $545 in El Kef, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Kef costs $545 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 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.