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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,461 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,385 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,310 in Fujairah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 42% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Fujairah is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.87 AED 25.22

-70.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$40.24 AED 148

-53.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.64 AED 24.40

18.37%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.58 AED 20.49

-63.62%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.73 AED 2.67

9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.52 AED 1.92

-32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$10.74 AED 39.46

-80.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$10.07 AED 37.00

-63.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.65 AED 6.07

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.33 AED 4.88

18.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.80 AED 6.60

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.29 AED 8.40

-13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.87 AED 47.27

26.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.61 AED 27.95

-59.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$15.61 AED 57.3

-30.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.23 AED 8.19

24.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.74 AED 6.41

-32.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.57 AED 5.75

8.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.32 AED 4.85

20.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.98 AED 3.59

41.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.00 AED 3.68

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.74 AED 6.40

-62.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.54 AED 1.97

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.28 AED 23.05

-25.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$13.53 AED 49.69

31.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.65 AED 9.74

-32.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.12 AED 7.80

57.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.66 AED 6.11

-45.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$52.7 AED 194

-64.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.54 AED 5.66

-8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.65 AED 2.38

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$8.02 AED 29.46

1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.78 AED 2.86

57.69%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$45.2K AED 165.9K

-52.54%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$22.3K AED 82.0K

-2.24%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$146 AED 537

-51.20%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$44.24 AED 162

-68.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$102 AED 373

-82.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$17.94 AED 65.9

127.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$39.95 AED 147

-82.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$8.84 AED 32.45

-35.29%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$219 AED 803

41.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,253 AED 19.3K

179.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$114 AED 419

-51.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$54.4 AED 200

-52.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$139 AED 510

-38.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$138 AED 507

-48.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$535 AED 1,966

-20.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$413 AED 1,516

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,487 AED 5,461

-46.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,075 AED 3,949

-52.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,765 AED 13.8K

-84.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

2.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $535 in Fujairah. 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 533% higher in Fujairah, 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 $40.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $267 – making Chiang Mai 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 Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fujairah costs about 71% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,191 in Fujairah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $219 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Fujairah, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Fujairah at $1,461. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fujairah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,461 in Fujairah. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fujairah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.