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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $787 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,242 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,697 in Ksar El Kebir, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Ksar El Kebir, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Ksar El Kebir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ksar El Kebir 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.78 MAD 25.71

-28.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$33.21 MAD 307

-43.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.94 MAD 73.4

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.60 MAD 14.77

20.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.43 MAD 3.94

83.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.35 MAD 3.20

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.74 MAD 34.56

-40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.32 MAD 39.97

-15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.84 MAD 7.80

96.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 MAD 6.53

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.93 MAD 17.87

-38.34%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.91 MAD 17.66

4.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.14 MAD 103

43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.20 MAD 66.6

-57.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.87 MAD 110

-8.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.93 MAD 17.81

43.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.51 MAD 14.01

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.88 MAD 8.10

86.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.83 MAD 7.64

83.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.78 MAD 7.21

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.80 MAD 7.36

48.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.46 MAD 4.27

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.58 MAD 5.34

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.51 MAD 41.68

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.12 MAD 75.2

103.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.85 MAD 26.41

-35.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.88 MAD 26.68

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.47 MAD 4.37

87.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$16.69 MAD 154

12.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.85 MAD 7.84

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.82 MAD 7.59

63.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.21 MAD 48.21

50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.52 MAD 14.03

-19.08%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.2K MAD 344.3K

-41.90%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.2K MAD 269.7K

-22.67%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.43 MAD 457

42.71%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$12.24 MAD 113

11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$42.02 MAD 389

-58.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$24.79 MAD 229

66.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.06 MAD 213

-69.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$8.60 MAD 79.5

-32.91%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$209 MAD 1,933

46.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,500 MAD 50.9K

165.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$65.3 MAD 604

-14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$53.5 MAD 494

-50.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$109 MAD 1,004

-21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$89.3 MAD 826

-19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$279 MAD 2,583

53.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$177 MAD 1,640

34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$497 MAD 4,594

64.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$301 MAD 2,788

69.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,654 MAD 15.3K

19.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$963 MAD 8,913

54.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.29

-5.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ksar El Kebir: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $279 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Ksar El Kebir. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $211 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 10% more than Ksar El Kebir, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,180 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $209 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 14% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $787 in Ksar El Kebir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ksar El Kebir costs $787 versus $869 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.