Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ifrane

For one person, living is cheaper in Ifrane: $744 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 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
36

Cost of Living Index in Ifrane
Learn more

Ifrane Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Ifrane

🇲🇦 Morocco

$744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Ifrane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $744 in Ifrane, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Ifrane $744

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,112 in Ifrane, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Ifrane $1,112

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,481 in Ifrane, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Ifrane $1,481

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Ifrane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Ifrane are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ifrane 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$3.43 MAD 33.43

-33.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$11.13 MAD 108

76.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$7.28 MAD 71.0

-22.94%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.20 MAD 11.75

38.33%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.70 MAD 6.85

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.36 MAD 3.53

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.52 MAD 24.59

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.10 MAD 40.00

-9.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.82 MAD 7.99

137.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.88 MAD 8.61

60.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.42 MAD 13.80

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.86 MAD 18.12

17.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$10.49 MAD 102

58.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$7.40 MAD 72.2

-62.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$11.94 MAD 116

-23.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$0.97 MAD 9.49

146.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.12 MAD 10.90

-8.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.78 MAD 7.64

108.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.50 MAD 4.86

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.60 MAD 5.81

115.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.43 MAD 4.19

158.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.49 MAD 4.81

46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.54 MAD 5.28

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$4.09 MAD 39.92

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$8.32 MAD 81.1

115.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.37 MAD 23.07

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.18 MAD 31.02

-10.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.55 MAD 5.32

56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$20.57 MAD 201

159.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.80 MAD 7.81

51.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.32 MAD 3.13

78.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$4.62 MAD 45.06

-49.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.56 MAD 15.19

-7.69%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$31.1K MAD 302.8K

-33.26%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$30.5K MAD 297.2K

-12.07%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$51.3 MAD 501

21.41%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$10.12 MAD 98.7

19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$42.05 MAD 410

-52.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$26.39 MAD 257

40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$21.29 MAD 208

-82.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$7.93 MAD 77.3

-18.03%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$99.4 MAD 969

697.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$5,786 MAD 56.4K

155.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$61.2 MAD 597

-12.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$46.00 MAD 448

-46.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$92.3 MAD 900

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$61.4 MAD 598

15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$274 MAD 2,671

66.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$169 MAD 1,652

75.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$472 MAD 4,605

92.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$275 MAD 2,676

101.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,221 MAD 11.9K

58.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$821 MAD 8,006

75.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$279 MAD 2,719

111.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.83

15.32%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ifrane: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Ifrane

$169 22.8% 43.1% $128

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Ifrane

$198 26.5% 16.1% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Ifrane

$117 15.8% 8.5% $9.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Ifrane

$104 13.9% 9.7% $9.1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Ifrane

$89 11.9% 13% $10

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ifrane

$25 3.4% 58.6% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ifrane

$42 5.7% 15.6% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $274 in Ifrane. 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 112% 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 $11.00 in Ifrane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $198 – making Ifrane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇦 Ifrane

🕒 Local time

07:52 7:52 AM

01:52 1:52 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

14,659

💱 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 21, 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 21, 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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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ifrane 10,100 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ifrane

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 Ifrane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Ifrane, 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,116 in Ifrane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $99.4 in Ifrane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ifrane, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Ifrane 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. Ifrane costs $744 versus $925 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 Ifrane. 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.