Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kafr El Sheikh Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kafr El Sheikh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $395 in Kafr El Sheikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $651 in Kafr El Sheikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Kafr El Sheikh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 140% more than Kafr El Sheikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kafr El Sheikh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kafr El Sheikh 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.4

$4.33 E£220

-51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿644

$14.15 E£720

38.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.50 E£229

25.56%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.2

$1.21 E£61.7

49.59%

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

$0.71 ฿23.40

$0.36 E£18.08

97.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.36

$0.14 E£7.33

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.55 E£78.6

44.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.31 E£66.6

177.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$0.86 E£43.50

127.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.29

$0.35 E£17.97

328.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.84

$0.70 E£35.64

91.43%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.3

$1.32 E£67.0

71.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿533

$2.55 E£130

537.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$3.97 E£202

-25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿326

$8.61 E£438

15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.4

$1.53 E£77.9

67.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$0.61 E£30.81

73.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$0.41 E£20.96

292.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.86

$0.36 E£18.35

322.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.68

$0.45 E£22.85

182.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿34.99

$0.41 E£20.66

160.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.63

$0.23 E£11.70

213.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.69

$0.22 E£11.20

131.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.10 E£107

99.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿586

$5.48 E£279

226.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.41 E£71.5

19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.1

$1.69 E£86.1

68.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.36

$0.19 E£9.89

389.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,767

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$0.41 E£20.65

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.92

$0.29 E£14.74

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.5

$1.71 E£86.9

41.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.34

$0.44 E£22.30

220.45%

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

$21.4K ฿703.6K

$33.8K E£1.7M

-36.47%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$28.8K E£1.5M

-4.94%

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

$63.7 ฿2,089

$13.51 E£687

371.28%

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

$12.85 ฿422

$7.48 E£380

71.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿663

$10.65 E£542

89.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,271

$9.21 E£468

320.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$4.02 E£205

-1.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.31 E£219

56.38%

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

$778 ฿25.5K

$96.0 E£4,884

710.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿479.4K

$2,586 E£131.5K

465.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,781

$10.05 E£511

440.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿835

$62.5 E£3,180

-59.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,095

$83.4 E£4,243

13.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,410

$19.56 E£995

275.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$140 E£7,100

250.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,492

$75.1 E£3,820

285.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.3K

$263 E£13.4K

240.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$152 E£7,730

240.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.1K

$810 E£41.2K

141.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$449 E£22.8K

228.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-72.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kafr El Sheikh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $140 in Kafr El Sheikh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Kafr El Sheikh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $115 – making Kafr El Sheikh 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 Kafr El Sheikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 140% more than Kafr El Sheikh, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $593 in Kafr El Sheikh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Kafr El Sheikh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 108% 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 Kafr El Sheikh, where all-in costs run around $395, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Kafr El Sheikh 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. Kafr El Sheikh costs $395 versus $947 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 Kafr El Sheikh. 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.