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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $667 in Khouribga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,049 in Khouribga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,431 in Khouribga, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Khouribga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Khouribga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Khouribga 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$3.83 MAD 35.64

-48.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$23.01 MAD 214

-20.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$4.58 MAD 42.63

71.83%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.19 MAD 11.06

63.87%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.37 MAD 3.42

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.21 MAD 1.95

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.38 MAD 31.45

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.46 MAD 22.89

49.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.00 MAD 9.32

66.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.53 MAD 4.89

194.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.72 MAD 16.06

-30.81%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.73 MAD 16.09

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$9.85 MAD 91.7

64.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$5.55 MAD 51.7

-42.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$9.94 MAD 92.6

9.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.39 MAD 12.94

90.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.53 MAD 14.23

-20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$0.82 MAD 7.62

101.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.06 MAD 9.88

46.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.96 MAD 8.91

38.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$0.72 MAD 6.67

68.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.43 MAD 3.99

58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.58 MAD 5.43

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$4.12 MAD 38.36

13.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$8.20 MAD 76.4

107.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.63 MAD 24.52

-30.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.78 MAD 25.89

14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.52 MAD 4.88

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$16.29 MAD 152

15.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.79 MAD 7.35

78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.51 MAD 4.75

162.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$4.26 MAD 39.68

91.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.51 MAD 14.06

-15.23%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$37.8K MAD 352.2K

-42.28%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$29.5K MAD 274.8K

-24.07%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$48.25 MAD 449

46.07%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$11.06 MAD 103

27.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$34.93 MAD 325

-49.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$14.65 MAD 136

181.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$23.50 MAD 219

-71.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.47 MAD 60.3

-7.88%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$95.1 MAD 886

218.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$3,579 MAD 33.3K

318.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$15.18 MAD 141

260.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$33.31 MAD 310

-21.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$85.8 MAD 799

-0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$33.15 MAD 309

110.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$276 MAD 2,573

54.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$171 MAD 1,591

39.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$498 MAD 4,637

62.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$310 MAD 2,890

64.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,390 MAD 12.9K

45.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$943 MAD 8,781

59.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$345 MAD 3,216

80.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Khouribga: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $276 in Khouribga. 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 80% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Khouribga. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Khouribga – so Khouribga 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 Khouribga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Khouribga, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,001 in Khouribga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $95.1 in Khouribga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $667 in Khouribga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khouribga costs $667 versus $848 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 Khouribga. 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.