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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,577 in Khor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,492 in Khor, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,408 in Khor, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 41% cheaper than Khor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Khor is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$10.91 QAR 39.70

-80.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$70.8 QAR 258

-72.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.42 QAR 30.67

-32.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 QAR 43.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.56 QAR 49.34

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$5.94 QAR 21.63

-69.53%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.94 QAR 3.44

-18.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.44 QAR 1.62

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.07 QAR 7.52

-0.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.41 QAR 5.13

7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.99 QAR 7.25

-29.65%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.70 QAR 6.20

32.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$11.08 QAR 40.33

46.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.95 QAR 25.30

-58.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.19 QAR 40.74

-15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.17 QAR 7.90

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.78 QAR 6.47

-38.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.51 QAR 5.48

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.11 QAR 4.04

31.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.93 QAR 3.40

37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.86 QAR 3.13

23.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.66 QAR 2.41

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.39 QAR 1.43

35.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.82 QAR 35.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 QAR 8.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.25 QAR 22.76

-32.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.07 QAR 3.90

-17.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.95 QAR 7.09

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.11 QAR 7.66

-72.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$13.80 QAR 50.2

-82.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.54 QAR 1.98

168.52%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$27.4K QAR 99.7K

-23.28%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$22.7K QAR 82.5K

16.62%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$87.4 QAR 318

-27.13%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$35.70 QAR 130

-63.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$84.5 QAR 307

-75.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$67.1 QAR 244

-41.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$12.21 QAR 44.44

-46.11%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$669 QAR 2,434

17.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$9,762 QAR 35.5K

50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$59.9 QAR 218

-7.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$52.7 QAR 192

-53.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$104 QAR 378

-9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$89.3 QAR 325

-17.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$915 QAR 3,332

-46.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$723 QAR 2,632

-60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,667 QAR 6,068

-46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,380 QAR 5,025

-62.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$2,871 QAR 10.5K

-79.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.88

-5.27%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Khor: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $915 in Khor. 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 377% higher in Khor, 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 $71.0 in Khor. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Khor – so Khor 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 Khor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khor costs about 69% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,365 in Khor. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $71.0 in Khor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Khor – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Khor at $1,577. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Khor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,577 in Khor. 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, Khor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.