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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $469 in Hurghada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in Hurghada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,504 in Hurghada, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Hurghada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hurghada are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Hurghada 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.5

$3.96 E£203

-46.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿657

$38.67 E£1,984

-48.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$5.98 E£307

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.6

$1.92 E£98.3

-4.69%

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

$0.78 ฿25.67

$0.49 E£25.15

59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.40

$0.15 E£7.60

106.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.4

$2.15 E£110

8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿123

$3.24 E£166

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.2

$1.01 E£52.0

100.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.9

$0.63 E£32.30

153.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.87

$0.67 E£34.14

111.94%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.1

$1.94 E£99.5

12.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿527

$3.06 E£157

419.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.96 E£306

-48.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿327

$10.04 E£515

-1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿87.0

$1.47 E£75.6

78.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.28

$0.50 E£25.61

120.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.0

$0.46 E£23.70

254.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.7

$0.40 E£20.64

282.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.23

$0.37 E£19.06

235.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.46

$0.41 E£21.11

175.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.44

$0.30 E£15.41

146.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.52

$0.16 E£8.37

212.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.20 E£113

94.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿595

$7.42 E£381

142.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.23 E£63.3

38.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$1.83 E£93.7

58.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.20

$0.17 E£8.84

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,831

$5.82 E£298

850.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.86

$1.01 E£51.7

21.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.21 E£11.02

152.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.5

$1.92 E£98.4

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.67

$0.43 E£22.32

234.88%

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

$21.2K ฿701.9K

$32.8K E£1.7M

-35.44%

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

$27.3K ฿904.3K

$23.0K E£1.2M

18.89%

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

$64.9 ฿2,150

$25.31 E£1,299

156.54%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$8.24 E£423

62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿690

$9.40 E£482

121.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,339

$27.03 E£1,387

49.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$6.24 E£320

-36.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.38 E£173

98.52%

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

$787 ฿26.1K

$101 E£5,197

677.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.8K

$593 E£30.4K

2452.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,862

$21.17 E£1,086

165.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿826

$34.16 E£1,753

-26.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,070

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,488

$29.82 E£1,530

151.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$228 E£11.7K

111.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,514

$122 E£6,248

135.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$249 E£12.8K

265.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.6K

$576 E£29.6K

-7.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.6K

$569 E£29.2K

247.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.1K

$615 E£31.5K

136.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$160 E£8,191

279.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hurghada: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $228 in Hurghada. 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 279% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Hurghada. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $140 in Hurghada – so Hurghada 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 Hurghada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Hurghada, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $704 in Hurghada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $101 in Hurghada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hurghada, where all-in costs run around $469, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Hurghada 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. Hurghada costs $469 versus $950 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 Hurghada. 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.