Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fes

For one person, living is cheaper in Fes: $675 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Fes
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Fes Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Fes

🇲🇦 Morocco

$675

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Fes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Fes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $675 in Fes, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Fes $675

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Fes, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Fes $1,042

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,408 in Fes, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Fes $1,408

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Fes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Fes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Fes 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.04 MAD 29.68

-25.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$31.52 MAD 307

-39.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$6.09 MAD 59.4

-8.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.31 MAD 12.82

31.30%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.54 MAD 5.31

18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.38 MAD 3.75

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$3.67 MAD 35.81

-35.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$4.20 MAD 40.98

-7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.79 MAD 7.72

159.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.54 MAD 5.26

159.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.74 MAD 16.99

-26.44%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.87 MAD 18.27

20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$9.74 MAD 95.0

73.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$4.44 MAD 43.30

-38.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$9.50 MAD 92.6

-1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.89 MAD 18.46

26.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.57 MAD 15.31

-35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.08 MAD 10.53

49.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.05 MAD 10.21

44.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.91 MAD 8.89

40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.05 MAD 10.27

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.48 MAD 4.70

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.57 MAD 5.51

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$4.31 MAD 41.98

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$4.52 MAD 44.08

292.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.67 MAD 26.07

-38.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$3.16 MAD 30.85

-9.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.39 MAD 3.83

117.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$10.14 MAD 98.9

431.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.64 MAD 6.24

82.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.75 MAD 7.28

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.44 MAD 14.00

0.69%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$34.9K MAD 339.9K

-41.27%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$34.5K MAD 336.5K

-23.17%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$32.49 MAD 317

91.84%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$10.33 MAD 101

18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$35.45 MAD 346

-43.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$26.35 MAD 257

43.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$19.30 MAD 188

-80.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.03 MAD 49.00

33.40%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$94.6 MAD 922

742.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$6,313 MAD 61.6K

134.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$19.29 MAD 188

176.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$52.4 MAD 511

-52.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$81.8 MAD 797

12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$56.7 MAD 552

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$313 MAD 3,050

48.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$183 MAD 1,782

66.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$539 MAD 5,252

69.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$249 MAD 2,431

121.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$724 MAD 7,062

163.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$342 MAD 3,333

320.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$483 MAD 4,709

23.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Fes: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Fes

$183 27.1% 40% $122

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Fes

$178 26.4% 25% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Fes

$95 14% 13.7% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Fes

$78 11.6% 17.2% $16

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Fes

$89 13.2% 12.5% $9.9

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Fes

$16 2.4% 73.8% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Fes

$36 5.4% 29.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $313 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 23% 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 $32.00 in Fes. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $178 in Fes – so Fes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇦 Fes

🕒 Local time

05:10 5:10 AM

23:10 11:10 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,167,842

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Fes 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Fes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 39% more than Fes, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,013 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.6 in Fes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fes, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Fes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fes costs $675 versus $938 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.