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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $501 in Khartoum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $677 in Khartoum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $853 in Khartoum, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 90% more than Khartoum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Khartoum are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Khartoum 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.40 SDG 1,438

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$13.88 SDG 8,309

42.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$2.78 SDG 1,662

108.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 SDG 1,455

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SDG 1,250

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.82 SDG 1,686

-35.11%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.50 SDG 299

56.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.39 SDG 231

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.39 SDG 829

46.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.43 SDG 856

11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.39 SDG 830

2.16%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.64 SDG 2,181

-40.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.47 SDG 2,677

-31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.26 SDG 2,549

-38.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.03 SDG 616

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.54 SDG 921

5.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.61 SDG 964

-4.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.01 SDG 605

22.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.81 SDG 485

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.58 SDG 346

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.53 SDG 316

-5.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.89 SDG 2,330

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 SDG 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 SDG 1,001

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.76 SDG 1,056

143.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.69 SDG 412

36.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$3.63 SDG 2,174

-66.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.05 SDG 3,021

-52.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.33 SDG 796

8.27%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$4,911 SDG 2.9M

331.56%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$10.2K SDG 6.1M

168.44%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$71.9 SDG 43.0K

-9.63%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$9.41 SDG 5,631

41.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$29.28 SDG 17.5K

-28.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$8.07 SDG 4,828

400.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.03 SDG 2,410

66.50%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$110 SDG 66.0K

613.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$2,717 SDG 1.6M

456.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$8.57 SDG 5,131

191.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$602 SDG 360.6K

-19.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$170 SDG 101.8K

68.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,291 SDG 772.4K

-29.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$161 SDG 96.6K

228.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,060 SDG 634.4K

86.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$985 SDG 589.5K

47.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$235 SDG 140.7K

157.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-81.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Khartoum: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $602 in Khartoum. 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 158% 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 $14.00 in Khartoum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $126 – making Khartoum 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 Khartoum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 90% more than Khartoum, 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 $751 in Khartoum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khartoum, 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 Khartoum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% 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 Khartoum, where all-in costs run around $501, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Khartoum 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. Khartoum costs $501 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 Khartoum. 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.