Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $810 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,226 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,642 in Essaouira, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Essaouira 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.34 MAD 39.86

-55.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$24.74 MAD 227

-24.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.99 MAD 45.88

56.71%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.84 MAD 16.91

5.98%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.45 MAD 4.13

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.26 MAD 2.36

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-44.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.57 MAD 32.83

4.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.85 MAD 7.80

101.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.53 MAD 4.90

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.69 MAD 15.57

-32.54%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.80 MAD 16.52

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.59 MAD 88.1

69.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.34 MAD 49.08

-41.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.51 MAD 106

-5.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.37 MAD 12.55

100.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.27 MAD 11.70

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.72 MAD 6.59

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.93 MAD 8.56

70.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.69 MAD 6.36

102.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.92 MAD 8.47

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.39 MAD 3.60

69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.54 MAD 4.92

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.07 MAD 37.43

15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.61 MAD 60.8

182.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.93 MAD 17.76

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.16 MAD 19.83

49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.90 MAD 8.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.40 MAD 151

17.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.68 MAD 6.26

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.51 MAD 4.72

152.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-9.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-19.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-43.44%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

5.59%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$28.04 MAD 258

146.33%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.82 MAD 127

1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$28.65 MAD 263

-37.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$22.11 MAD 203

85.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.63 MAD 217

-70.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.71 MAD 61.7

-11.77%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$75.6 MAD 695

295.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

651.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$31.43 MAD 289

74.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.79 MAD 366

-32.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$48.84 MAD 449

74.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$44.20 MAD 406

59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$388 MAD 3,563

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$345 MAD 3,173

-31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$795 MAD 7,308

0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$545 MAD 5,011

-5.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$268 MAD 2,462

130.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-9.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $388 in Essaouira. 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 130% 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 $25.00 in Essaouira. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $179 in Essaouira – so Essaouira 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 Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Essaouira, 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 $1,215 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Essaouira, 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 $75.6 in Essaouira. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $810 in Essaouira, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Essaouira costs $810 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 Essaouira. 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.