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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $646 in Fes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,037 in Fes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,428 in Fes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Fes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Fes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Fes 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.74 MAD 34.56

-47.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$33.53 MAD 310

-43.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.19 MAD 57.3

27.95%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.55 MAD 14.38

23.23%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.46 MAD 4.24

82.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.41 MAD 3.77

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.99 MAD 27.62

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.26 MAD 30.13

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.89 MAD 8.20

84.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.53 MAD 4.89

205.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.67 MAD 15.43

-29.34%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.02 MAD 18.65

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.34 MAD 114

28.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.36 MAD 49.54

-43.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.92 MAD 91.8

8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.13 MAD 10.42

130.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.29 MAD 11.93

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.77 MAD 7.13

120.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.92 MAD 8.51

71.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.81 MAD 7.47

62.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.94 MAD 8.74

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.47 MAD 4.35

42.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.59 MAD 5.48

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.03 MAD 37.30

12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.88 MAD 45.15

272.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.48 MAD 22.91

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.30 MAD 30.51

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.45 MAD 4.17

97.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$10.82 MAD 100

79.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.68 MAD 6.25

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.48 MAD 4.42

181.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.51 MAD 41.70

82.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.54 MAD 14.28

-17.53%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$37.0K MAD 342.1K

-42.79%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.4K MAD 271.8K

-23.48%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$34.34 MAD 318

104.28%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.85 MAD 100

26.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$24.85 MAD 230

-29.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$26.34 MAD 244

57.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$24.95 MAD 231

-73.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.58 MAD 51.6

3.58%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$55.1 MAD 510

455.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,286 MAD 30.4K

351.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$33.56 MAD 310

62.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.14 MAD 307

-21.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$85.7 MAD 793

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$63.9 MAD 591

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$284 MAD 2,627

49.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$151 MAD 1,400

57.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$407 MAD 3,766

102.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$218 MAD 2,016

136.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$928 MAD 8,588

120.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$535 MAD 4,952

184.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$396 MAD 3,665

60.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $284 in Fes. 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 60% 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 $34.00 in Fes. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Fes – so Fes 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 Fes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Fes, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $969 in Fes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $55.1 in Fes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $646 in Fes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fes costs $646 versus $852 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 Fes. 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.