Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $770 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,214 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,657 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Ksar El Kebir, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ksar El Kebir 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$2.59 MAD 24.52

-19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$31.71 MAD 301

-38.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.48 MAD 80.4

-33.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.62 MAD 15.39

11.73%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.41 MAD 3.87

87.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.35 MAD 3.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$4.68 MAD 44.43

-52.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$5.39 MAD 51.1

-29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.86 MAD 8.14

138.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.79 MAD 7.49

91.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.86 MAD 17.61

-24.73%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.91 MAD 18.14

18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.50 MAD 109

40.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$7.30 MAD 69.3

-60.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.52 MAD 119

-24.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.61 MAD 15.23

66.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.58 MAD 14.94

-31.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.79 MAD 7.52

105.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.82 MAD 7.75

78.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.64 MAD 6.08

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.76 MAD 7.20

39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.49 MAD 4.66

46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.54 MAD 5.16

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.17 MAD 39.59

1.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$8.36 MAD 79.3

118.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.76 MAD 26.19

-40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.09 MAD 29.31

-6.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.46 MAD 4.37

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$19.66 MAD 186

173.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.87 MAD 8.24

34.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.31 MAD 2.91

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$4.74 MAD 44.93

-49.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.56 MAD 14.77

-7.05%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$31.1K MAD 294.6K

-32.35%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.7K MAD 300.9K

-16.72%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$49.39 MAD 468

28.87%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.13 MAD 96.1

27.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$43.86 MAD 416

-53.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$23.63 MAD 224

65.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$20.02 MAD 190

-80.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.34 MAD 69.6

-10.35%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$104 MAD 987

653.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,533 MAD 52.5K

165.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$60.6 MAD 574

-9.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$49.36 MAD 468

-49.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$102 MAD 971

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$67.0 MAD 635

10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$241 MAD 2,286

103.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$174 MAD 1,650

65.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$466 MAD 4,418

91.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$272 MAD 2,575

91.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,097 MAD 10.4K

79.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$866 MAD 8,216

66.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.01

11.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ksar El Kebir: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $241 in Ksar El Kebir. 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 $32.00 in Ksar El Kebir. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Ksar El Kebir – so Ksar El Kebir 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 Ksar El Kebir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Ksar El Kebir, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,156 in Ksar El Kebir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $104 in Ksar El Kebir. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 Ksar El Kebir, where all-in costs run around $770, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Ksar El Kebir 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. Ksar El Kebir costs $770 versus $932 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 Ksar El Kebir. 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.